Acid attack on Indonesian activist sparks backlash

Two men on a motorbike threw acid in the face of an Indonesian rights activist, leaving him badly hurt and prompting calls for a thorough investigation amid concerns of democratic backsliding in the country.

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Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of the KontraS rights group, sustained serious injuries to his face, an eye, hands and chest in the attack in Jakarta late on Thursday.

Andrie was riding a motorbike when he was approached by two men on a scooter, one of whom threw acid at him, according to KontraS coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya. Both attackers had their faces concealed.

Andrie, who had previously received threats for his activism, was rushed to hospital with burns to 24 per cent of his body, said Dimas.

"We view this acid attack as an attempt to silence critical voices in society," he added.