Documentation Centre

On 8 December 2022, two intoxicated police officers reportedly tortured three political detainees during detention at the Jayapura police headquarters

A military trial against five members of the Brigif R20/IJK/3 Timika Military Command has been launched at the III-19 Military Court in Jayapura on 12 December 2022.

In 2022, the Jokowi administration took initiative to address past human rights violations, these efforts were poorly planned, monitored, and implemented. Both the trial of the 2014 Panai Case and the presidential decree for the non-judicial settlement of past serious human rights violations gave the impression that the government wants to burnish its human rights image among the international community instead of making a serious effort to establish justice and eradicate impunity.

Police officers arrested twelve indigenous Papuans in the town of Kaimana, Kaimana Regency, on 27 November 2022. Also in Manokwari fifteen protesters were arrested and taken into custody.

On 16 November 2022., Papuan students in Jayapura and Denpasar were attacked while peacefully protesting against the G20 summit in Bali 2022

On 4 June 2022, a military member shot dead 16-year-old civilian, Rafael Ivan Balaweling in the Prafi District of Manokwari Regency, Papua Barat Province. The shooting occurred during a wedding ceremony in the Aimasi village. According to the military spokesperson, General Tatang Subarna, the shooting was triggered by an argument between Staff Sergeant AFTJ and Rafael Ivan Balaweling. A military tribunal in Manokwari later found Staff Seargeant AFTJ guilty. He was sentenced to ten years imprisonment with the recommendation to dishonourably dismiss the perpetrator from military service.

The human rights court trial against the single defendant, the former military commander Major Isak Sattu, was launched at the Makassar District Court on 21 September 2022 (see photo on

On 30 August 2022, military personnel tortured Mr Bruno Anonim Kimko and Mr Yohanes Kanggum inside a military post in the Bade Village, Mappi regency. Komnas HAM revealed that the military personnel had tortured four more victims prior to the incident on 28 August 2022. The four victims were identified as Mr Amsal Pius Yimsimen, Mr Korbanius Yamin, Mr Lodefius Tikamtahae and Mr Saferius Yame. As of the end of October 2022, the military police have identified eighteen suspects. All are members of the Raider 600/Modang infantry battalion.

Police officers arrested Mr Roy Marten Howay in his parent’s house in the Wania District, Mimika Regency, on 8 October 2022. Mr Howay is accused of being involved in the mutilation of four indigenous Papuans in the Town of Timika on 22 August 2022.

On 21 April 2022, judges of the Jayapura District Court have found seven indigenous Papuans guilty of treason and sentenced them to ten months imrisonment.

Officers of the Jayawijaya District Police (Polres Jayawijaya) arrested eleven university students in the highland town of Wamena on 7 September 2022.

Two international organisations, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the World Council of Churches (WCC), have voiced concerns regarding the aggravating human rights situation in Indonesia’s easternmost provinces Papua and Papua Barat.

The human rights court trial in relation to the Paniai Massacre of 2014 will be launched at the Makassar District Court on 21 September 2022

On 31 August 2022, the Constitutional Court rejected the application for judicial review of the new Papuan Special Autonomy Law No 2/2021.

Eight Papuan activists: Malvin Yobe, Devio Tekege, Ambros Elopere, Maksi You, Paul Sode Hilapok, Luis Sitok, Ernesto Matuan, and Melvin Waine were arrested for raising the Morning Star flag in front of the sports hall (GOR) in Jayapura on 1 December 2021. The police charged the activists with Articles 106 KUHP on treason and Article 110 KUHP on criminal conspiracy against the state. Allegedly the police is unnecessarily prolonging the detention because the evidence against the eight activists is not sufficient to submit the case to the public prosecutor. On 30 January 2022, the police extended the period of detention for another 30 days. Prior to the arrest, Melvin Yobe was undergoing a pulmonary treatment program, while Sode Hilapok was suffering from hemorrhoids. Their health condition of Mr Malvin Yobe and Mr Paul Sode reportedly deteriorated in late January 2022. Mr Hilapok was once permitted to see a doctor while Mr Yobe has not yet received any medical treatment. The trial started at the Jayapura District Court in April 2022 but the first court hearing was adjourned. The trial has finally started on 17 May 2022.
On 29 August 2022, judges at the Jayapura District Court found Mr Melvin Yobe, 29, Mr Melvin Fernando Waine, 25, Mr Zode Hilapok, 27, Mr Devion Tekege, 23, Mr Yosep Ernesto Matuan, 19, Mr Maksimus Simon Petrus You, 18, Mr Lius Kitok Uropmabin, 21, and Mr Ambrosius Fransiskus Elopere, 21, guilty of treason as regulated under Article 106 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP) (see photo on top, source: Jubi). Previously, the public prosecutor demanded a sentence of one year while the lawyers had pleaded for acquittal for the defendants.

Hailstorms and frost in mid-July 2022 have caused the destruction of gardens and livestock in the Lanny Jaya Regency, Papu Province.

On 14 July 2022, police forces blocked protesters in various cities across West Papua. Officers beat protesters in Jayapura and Kaimana