# Fabricated security concerns used to justify transfer of trial against Papuan activists from Sorong to Makassar

**Publisher:** [Human Rights Monitor](https://humanrightsmonitor.org)
**Document ID:** HRM-CAS-094-2025
**Document Type:** Case
**Document URL:** https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/fabricated-security-concerns-used-to-justify-transfer-of-trial-against-papuan-activists-from-sorong-to-makassar/
**Issues:** indigenous peoples
**Publication Date:** August 15, 2025
**Last Updated:** October 21, 2025
**Tags:** Indonesia | West Papua

## Summary
The four political prisoners from the West Papua Federal Republic Organisation (NRFPB), namely Mr Abraham G. Gamam, Mr Nikson Mai, Mr Piter Robaha, and Mr Maksi Sangkek, currently face the imminent transfer of their treason trial from Sorong, Southwest Papua Province, to Makassar, South Sulawesi Province, despite the absence of clear legal grounds.

## Detailed Case Narrative
The four political prisoners from the West Papua Federal Republic Organisation (NRFPB), namely Mr Abraham G. Gamam, Mr Nikson Mai, Mr Piter Robaha, and Mr Maksi Sangkek (see photo on top, source: independent HRD), currently face the imminent transfer of their treason trial from Sorong, Southwest Papua Province, to Makassar, South Sulawesi Province, despite the absence of clear legal grounds. [Arrested in April 2025 for peacefully delivering a negotiation letter](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/ongoing-detention-of-four-activists-in-sorong-raises-concerns-over-criminalisation-health-and-due-process/), the activists have been held in Sorong City Correctional Facility. Authorities cite “natural disasters” and “security concerns” as reasons for the transfer, but human rights defenders and legal counsel have strongly refuted these claims, warning that the move is politically motivated and intended to isolate the prisoners from their families, communities, and public oversight.

The controversy escalated on 13 August 2025, when solidarity groups in Sorong staged a peaceful protest, marching from the Sorong City Sports Hall to the Sorong District Prosecutor’s Office. Legal advocates denounced the Prosecutor’s reliance on a Supreme Court opinion allegedly sought on the recommendation of the Sorong City Forkopimda (Regional Leadership Coordination Forum), asserting that neither disaster nor unrest exists in Sorong to warrant relocation under Indonesian law. The protest leaders accused the state of using treason charges to silence peaceful advocacy. They argued that moving the trial amounts to legal manipulation, undermining the right to a fair trial.

Human rights organisations and solidarity groups demand the immediate cancellation of the transfer and an end to the use of treason provisions against peaceful political activity. They call on the Attorney General’s Office to uphold due process and ensure trials remain accessible to affected communities.

### Background
From April 2025 onwards, the case has been marked by irregularities. The original prosecution files were once returned by the Sorong City Prosecutor’s Office for insufficient evidence, underscoring the weak legal basis for the treason charges. By early August 2025, the Prosecutor’s Office formally notified the defendants of the trial’s transfer, claiming procedural compliance after Supreme Court consultation. Human rights defenders countered that the *locus delicti* principle, which requires trials to be held where the alleged criminal offense occurred, is being violated. They stress that Sorong possesses sufficient judicial and security infrastructure, including the West Papua Regional Police Headquarters, to ensure a safe and fair trial.

### Human rights analysis
From a human rights perspective, the proposed transfer potentially violates fair trial guarantees under Article 14 of the [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/law/iccpr/) to which Indonesia is a party. The move undermines the right to be tried in the place where the alleged crime occurred, disproportionately burdens families, limits access to legal counsel, and isolates defendants from their support networks. The charges stem from peaceful political expression and therefore contravene the rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly under Articles 19, 21, and 22 [ICCPR](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/law/iccpr/). The case illustrates a broader pattern of criminalising Papuan activists to curtail peaceful dissent.

## Incident Period & Location
- **Start Date:** August 5, 2025
- **End Date:** August 15, 2025
- **Period Type:** Period
- **Reference Date:** August 5, 2025 (used for chronological ordering)
- **Location:** 28MX+3RX, Aimas, Sorong Regency, West Papua 98414, Indonesia
- **Geographic Coordinates (WGS84):** -0.9671959, 131.3495792
- **Google Maps:** https://maps.google.com/?q=-0.9671959,131.3495792
- **Administrative Regions:**
  - **Region 1:** Indonesia (Country) > Southwest Papua (Province) > Sorong City (City) > Sorong Kota (District)

## Victims
**Total number of victims:** 4

| Count | Name | Age | Gender | Groups | Violations |
|-------|------|-----|--------|--------|------------|
| 1 person | Abraham G. Gamam | adult | male | Activist, Indigenous Peoples | fair trial |
| 1 person | Nikson Mai | adult | male | Activist, Indigenous Peoples | fair trial |
| 1 person | Peter Rohaba | adult | male | Activist, Indigenous Peoples | fair trial |
| 1 person | Maksi Sangkek | adult | male | Activist, Indigenous Peoples | fair trial |

## Perpetrators
**Perpetrator Category Paths:**
- **Category 1:** Republic Indonesia > Government > Prosecution
- **Category 2:** Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Police > Provincial Police (POLDA)

- **Perpetrator Description:** Polda Papua Barat Daya and Papua Barat Daya Prosecutor's Office

## Media Documentation
[Image: Detainee_NFRPB_transfer_Aug'25_3](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Detainee_NFRPB_transfer_Aug25_3.jpg)

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