# Kaimana: protest dispersed on 14 July 2022, 2 injured

**Publisher:** [Human Rights Monitor](https://humanrightsmonitor.org)
**Document ID:** HRM-CAS-038-2022
**Document Type:** Case
**Document URL:** https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/kaimana-protest-dispersed-on-14-july-2022-2-injured/
**Issues:** security force violence | indigenous peoples
**Publication Date:** July 22, 2022
**Tags:** Indonesia | West Papua

## Summary
A crowd of several hundred protesters gathered in various locations in Kaimana on 14 July 2022. Police officers blocked the roads to the local parliament. According to information received, police officers beat two protesters with wooden batons. The police dragged them off the bike and forced them to enter one of the trucks. One of the victims, Mr Aser Bary, was beaten with a wooden baton and sustained bruises on his chest and back as a result of the excessive force applied against him.

## Detailed Case Narrative
Following the PRP’s call for public protests against the formation of new provinces in West Papua, the PRP branch in Kaimana organised a peaceful demonstration on 14 July 2022. Mr Fando Nyai, the local PRP representative PRP submitted a formal registration letter for a peaceful protest march through Kaimana on 4 July 2022. In a response letter dated 12 July, the police claimed that the registration letter did not meet the formal criteria for registering a demonstration and refused to issue an acknowledgement letter for the registration.  

A crowd of several hundred protesters gathered in various locations in Kaimana on 14 July 2022. Police officers blocked the roads to the local parliament. The local police chief, I Ketut Widiarta, called upon the crowd to enter police trucks which would bring them to the local parliament. However, the crowd rejected this proposal. Thereupon, Mr Nyai was able to convince the protesters to enter trucks which he organised by himself, while the other protesters followed on motorcycles.  

According to information received, police officers beat two protesters with wooden batons. The police dragged them off the bike and forced them to enter one of the trucks. One of the victims, Mr Aser Bary, was beaten with a wooden baton and sustained bruises on his chest and back as a result of the excessive force applied against him.

The spokesperson of the Papua Barat Regional Police (Polda Papua Barat), [Officer Adam Erwindi, denied allegations of protesters being beaten](https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20220714184720-20-821707/massa-demo-tolak-dob-di-papua-barat-dipukul-rotan-polisi-bantah) during the demonstration in Kaimana.  

## Incident Period & Location
- **Start Date:** July 14, 2022
- **End Date:** July 14, 2022
- **Period Type:** Single Day
- **Reference Date:** July 14, 2022 (used for chronological ordering)
- **Location:** - Kaimana District
- **Administrative Regions:**
  - **Region 1:** Indonesia (Country) > Papua Barat Province (Province) > Kaimana (Regency) > Kaimana (District)
  - **Region 2:** Indonesia (Country) > West Papua (Province) > Kaimana (Regency) > Kaimana (District)

## Victims
**Total number of victims:** 2

| Count | Name | Age | Gender | Groups | Violations |
|-------|------|-----|--------|--------|------------|
| 1 person | Aser Bary | unknown | male | Indigenous Peoples, Activist | ill-treatment, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly |
| 1 person | unknown | unknown | male | Indigenous Peoples, Activist | ill-treatment, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly |
| dozens | unknown | unknown | unknown | Activist | freedom of expression, freedom of assembly |

## Perpetrators
**Perpetrator Category Paths:**
- **Category 1:** Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Police

- **Perpetrator Description:** unknown