On 21 February 2023, Indonesian navy members tortured the indigenous Papuans, Mr Albertus Kaize, and his brother, Mr Daniel Kaize, near the Wogekel Village, Ilwayab District of Merauke Regency, Papua Selatan Province. Mr Albertus Kaize, 32, died one day later due to his injuries during torture inside the Lantamal XI Wanam Navy Post.
Military members arrested Mr Albertus Kaize and Mr Daniel Kaize in front of the military post. The brothers were intoxicated and noisy as they passed the post, so military members reprimanded them not to disturb public order. A subsequent argument escalated into a brawl. Thereupon, navy members arrested and handcuffed the brothers.
The military members brought Mr Albertus Kaize and Mr Daniel Kaize into a dark room inside the military post to torture them. The victims could not identify the perpetrators because the lights were switched off. Both men were released on 22 February 2023 around 3.00 am. Their bodies were covered with bruises and abrasions sustained during the torture. The brothers returned to their ship, where they worked as sailors, to rest. As Mr Daniel Kaize wanted to wake up his brother around 13.30, Mr Albertius Kaize had already passed away.
The Catholic Arch-Bishop of Merauke, Petrus Canisius Mandagi, condemned the cases of security force violence against indigenous Papuans in the Merauke Regency. He called upon the authorities to hold all perpetrators accountable. “These cases must be processed quickly because they can disturb the relationship between the Papuan and non-Papuan people. The use of arbitrary violence causing people to be killed or maimed is not right at all”, said Mandagi during a press conference on 24 February 2023.
Lantamal XI Merauke commander, General Gatot Mardiyono, declared that the military police had launched an investigation into the case.
Detailed Case Data
name of the location: Wanam Navy Post (-7.5209887277866505, 139.13627354238687)
administrative region: Indonesia, Papua Selatan Province, Merauke Regency, Ilyawab District, Wogekel Village
total number of victims: two
period of incident: 21.02.2023-22.02.2023
perpetrator: military, other security forces
perpetrator details: unknown
Issues: torture, ill-treatment, extra-judicial killings, indigenous peoples
Sources:
Further HRM News:
| Number | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violation |
| 1 | Albertus Kaize | male | 32 | indigenous | torture, ill-treatment, execution |
| 1 | Daniel Kaize | male | unknown | indigenous | torture, ill-treatment |
