Thirteen Indonesian National Army (TNI) from Infantry Battalion 411 of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad) Salatiga tortured five civilians. This incident occurred at the Yon 411 Kostrad dormitory in Salatiga, Central Java Province on 1 September 2022.
Some local governments allegedly obstructed the political expression of presidential candidate Anis Baswedan. They made it difficult for Anis Baswedan to conduct political activities in areas such as West Java, Riau and Aceh, such as making it difficult, revoking permits that had been issued. The reasons for the revocation of permits vary, but Anies Baswedan’s volunteers said they caught an attempt to hamper Anies’ movement in the regions.
Belu Resort Police Officer Brigpol Rogerius Roy Sonbay shot 18-year-old Gerson Yaris Lau alias Eton to death on 27 September 2022. The police accused the suspect of trying to escape when a joint team of the Belu Police Buser team and the Belu Police Intelkam Unit were about to make an arrest.
On the night of 4 June 2022, two officers from the Sleman Resort Police, Yogyakarta, LV and AR, assaulted 29-year-old Bryan Yoga Kusuma in the parking lot of a bar called Holywings, on Magelang Street, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Province. About 20 people gathered around Bryan. Some of them were Sleman resort police. They beat him and threw him on the asphalt.
Police officers arrested two protesters participating in peaceful commemorations of the 1st of December in Sorong, Papua Barat Province. The protesters had raised Morning Star Flags in public places. The police had increased its presence across Sorong since the early morning hours of 1 December 2022. Police officers arrested two protesters with the initials NY and MI in front of the Ramayana Mall, Klademak 3, where the Papuan Peoples’ Petition (PRP) had organised the peaceful assembly. They dispersed the crowd of about 100 people with teargas after one protester raised a Morning Star Flag.
Eight Papuan activists of the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the solidarity groups Indonesian Peoples Front for West Papuan (FRI WP) as well as Liga of Indonesian Students for Democracy (LMID) were arrested near the Jatiland Mall in the city of Ternate on 1 December 2022. Police officers brought Jack (FRI-WP), Hengky (AMP), Dino (AMP), Susan (AMP), Malo (LMID), Kama (LMID), Rino, and Gelombang to the Ternate District Police headquarters for interrogation. All protesters were released without charges at 12:00 am. Police officers reportedly forced the protesters to sign a statement according to which they would refrain from commemorating the 1 December again.
The police in Wamena tried to prevent a demonstration commemorating Human Rights Day already in the planning stage. On 8 December 2022, police officers in multiple locations arrested 23 members of the West Papua National Coalition (KNPB), a movement organisation promoting the right to self-determination through peaceful action. They were distributing leaflets for the commemoration of Human Rights Day. The activists were shortly detained and interrogated at the Jayawijaya District Police Station.
On 10 December 2022, protesters in Jayapura gathered in multiple locations, namely at the Abepura roundabout, Jayapura University for Science and Technology (USTJ), Expo Waena, and the Cenderawasih University campuses in Abepura and Waena. The police reportedly dispersed the protests with teargas, water cannons, and warning shots. The arrests occurred early in the morning as the activists prepared for the peaceful protest. Dozens of police officers blocked university campuses at UNCEN and USTJ, preventing the protesters from walking to the main road. Nine protesters, namely, Mr Enggel Ap You, Nando Boma, Okto Mote, Yoten Mirin, Hendrik Muyapa, Yabet Degei, Olison Package, and X Dogomo sustained injuries as a result of police violence as officers dispersed the crowd.
After already trying to prevent commemorations from taking place by arresting 23 activists on 10 December 2022, the police arrested again 30 KNPB activists on 10. They were intercepted in three locations in Wamena, namely in Pikhe, Sinakma, and Potikelek, all close to each other. The police arrested the activists around 8.00 am as they were preparing banners at the assembly points.
On 10 December 2022, dozens of police officers blocked protesters at the Pos 7 intersection and prevented them from walking along the main road to Jayapura City. KNPB activists tried negotiating with the police to continue their way to Jayapura. At 7.50 am, the police dispersed the crowd and reportedly arrested 52 protesters. Human rights observers managed to document the names of only 42. Five protesters, namely Mrs Agustina Kobak, Mr Zeth Matuan, Mr Insu Siep, Mr Nodi Tepmul and Mr Frengky Kogoya, sustained injuries due to excessive police violence. All protesters were loaded in trucks and brought to the Jayapura district police station in Doyo Baru for interrogation.
Two major developments with a significant effect on the human rights situation in West Papua throughout 2022 were, firstly, Jakarta’s plans to amend the Papuan special autonomy law and establish new provinces in West Papua. This has caused widespread rejection among indigenous Papuans. In July 2021, the central government unilaterally amended the Papuan Special Autonomy (Otsus) Law without the participation of the Papuan Peoples Assembly (MRP) and the provincial government. Secondly, the ongoing armed conflict in West Papua causes a climate of persistent violence, particularly in the conflict areas. Papuan human rights defenders kept reporting cases of torture, extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances – many of such cases are directly related to armed conflict.
On 16 November 2022, hundreds of students followed the call by the Executive Student Body (BEM) and held peaceful demonstrations against the G20 summit at the Cenderawasih University campuses in Abepura and Waena, as well as at the USTJ Campus. Around 11.00 am, the police dispersed the peaceful protests with water cannons and tear gas. Police officers with rubber batons and shields attacked students and arrested seven student leaders at the UNCEN campus in Abepura.
Papuan students in Bali carried out peaceful demonstrations against the G20 summit, which Indonesia hosted in Bali on 15 and 16 November 2022. Members of nationalist groups attacked members of the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) as they wanted to leave their dormitory to protest against the international event peacefully. Six students suffered injuries after being attacked with stones and bamboo sticks.
On 27 November 2022, dozens of indigenous Papuans came together to commemorate the anniversary of the proclamation of the independent state of West Papua New Guinea on 27 November 1997. They gathered at the Wosi Terminal. Protesters raised Morning Star flags and flags of other countries, including the Netherlands, the United States of America and New Zealand. Around 12.30 pm, joint security forces dispersed the peaceful protest and seized the flags.
Police officers arrested twelve indigenous Papuans in the Kaimana, Kaimana Regency, on 27 November 2022. Dozens of indigenous Papuans had come together to commemorate the anniversary of the proclamation of the independent state of West Papua New Guinea on 27 November 1997. The crowd raised Morning Star Flags and flags of the European Union, the United States of America and New Zealand. The arrested four elderly and eight young Papuans were detained Station for interrogation by the Kaimana District Police.
The Mukomuko Resort Police have arrested at least 47 farmers from Malin Deman Sub-district, Mukomuko Regency, Bengkulu Province, within six months, from May to October 2022. The police often accuse the farmers who are members of the Association of Farmers Fighters Bumi Sejahtera (Perkumpulan Petani Pejuang Bumi Sejahtera/PPPBS) of stealing palm fruit belonging to PT Daria Darma Pratama (PT DDP and ignore the land conflict between PT DDP and the farmers. The police repeatedly made arbitrary arrests, detained the farmers without sufficient evidence, ill-treated them, and obstructed their right to meet with their lawyers.
On 19 September 2022, members of the National Workers Union (SPN) of Makassar City and the Makassar People’s Struggle Alliance held a demonstration at the South Sulawesi Regional Police Headquarters. This action was carried out in response to classifying nine labourers as suspects in a coercion case. The management of PT WIKA BETON had reported them through police report Number: LPB/346/IV/2022/SPKT Polda Sulsel on 28 April 2022.
The Makassar Police Drug Unit arrested Muh Arfandi Ardiansyah on 15 May 2022 on Jl Rappokalling, Makassar, South Sulawesi Province. Muh Arfandi Ardiansyah was found dead the same day, sometime after being arrested. The police accused him of being a drug dealer but later amended their statement, saying that Arfandi had not been a drug dealer. Arfandi’s body was full of bruises, and several bones were broken, indicating that Arfandi had been a victim of torture by the police.
On 22 June 2022, 28-years old Ari Putra died in the custody of the Empat Lawang Resort Police, South Sumatra Province, a few hours after being arrested. Ari Putra was arrested with his friend Bayu Anggara on Tuesday night, 21 June 2022, at around 10 pm. Based on the results of the post-mortem, Ari was declared dead because he suffered bruises on the back of the head and face and swollen right cheekbone. Police said that Ari Putra died because fellow prisoners mistreated him. However, the family suspects the involvement of the Empat Lawang police officer.
Thirty-nine Trenggalek People’s Alliance representatives arrived in Jakarta on 23 October 2022. They travelled from Trenggelek district in East Java province to Jakarta to convey the residents’ rejection of the PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara (SMN) gold mine due to environmental considerations and disasters, especially floods that are getting worse in Trenggalek. Most of the water comes from the mining area.
