On 8 February 2025, five Papuan students were arbitrarily arrested without an arrest warrant by plainclothes officers in Jayapura. The students were identified as Mr Frengky Anouw,Mr Nataniel Pigai, Mr Fransiskus Petege, Mr Esau Kogoya, and Mr Yosua Mote. The arrest occurred while a dozen officers raided a boarding house in the Kamkey Area at 9:20 pm. The students were forcefully detained, their hands were bound, and their eyes were covered. The officers forced the students to enter an emergency response vehicle, which brought them to the Abepura Sub-District Police Station.
After arriving at Abe Police Station at 10:00 p.m., the students were subjected to interrogation for two hours later and held in custody overnight. The following morning, at 8:30 am, they were transferred to Jayapura District Police Station in Sentani, where they remained detained until their release on 11 February 2025, at 11:15 am. The students were reportedly arrested based on false accusations of involvement in a motorcycle theft operation at a nearby boarding house. However, no evidence linked them to the alleged crime, making their detention an act of wrongful arrest.
According to the victims, they were subjected to torture and intimidation during their detention. Reports indicate that the students were beaten at the time of arrest and during interrogation at Abepura Police Station (see table below). Their eyes were covered with duct tape, and they suffered bruises on their faces and bodies. Despite sustaining injuries, their health has since improved following their release.
The families of the detained students were left uninformed of their whereabouts throughout the detention period. Despite inquiries made at various police stations, they were unable to obtain any clear information regarding the students’ status.
Names of the arrested students and reported abuses
| No | Name | Age | Reported Abuse |
| 1 | Frengky Anouw | 22 | Beaten on the face with duct tape covering his eyes; suffered bruises on the face and body. |
| 2 | Nataniel Pigai | 23 | Beaten on the face with eyes covered; suffered facial and bodily bruises. |
| 3 | Fransiskus Petege | 24 | Beaten on the face with eyes taped shut; sustained facial and body bruises. |
| 4 | Esau Kogoya | 24 | Beaten on the face with eyes covered; experienced bruises on the face and body. |
| 5 | Yosua Mote | 22 | Beaten on the face with eyes covered in duct tape; suffered bruises on the face and body. |
Photos of the five students
