Indonesia: Military silences dissent with disinformation campaigns branding activists and journalists ‘foreign agents’

In March 2026, Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS), was the victim of an acid attack in Jakarta, suffering severe chemical burns.

He had been targeted for months by coordinated online campaigns portraying him as a “foreign agent” after he helped lead peaceful protests against revisions to Indonesia’s Military Law. Dozens of accounts presenting themselves as part of the Indonesian military, together with hundreds of anonymous accounts, took part in these campaigns across different social media platforms.

State investigations later led to the arrest of four military officers. Yet even after the acid attack and arrests, disinformation continued. Coordinated videos accused Yunus of staging the assault to attract foreign funding.

Link to PDF report in the article.

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