On 11 June 2026, intelligence and police officers forcibly arrested twenty-three-year-old student Roy Suhuniap at Jayapura Port, Jayapura City, Papua Province. Mr Suhuniap had just arrived in Jayapura aboard the Gunung Dempo Ship. As he was about to disembark, approximately 15 officers apprehended him without showing a warrant. Mr Suhuniap was subjected to torture during police detention at the Jayapura District police headquarters. Following the detention, the police failed to inform Mr Suhuniap’s family about the detention.
After police officers arrested Mr Suhuniap in front of the Gunung Dempo ship around 12:20 am, they forcibly took him to a nearby police post through the back entrance. Mr Suhuniap’s friends witnessed the incident and attempted to follow the officers, but three intelligence officers blocked them and prohibited them from approaching or entering the police post premises. Instead, police officers instructed Mr Suhuniap’s friends to come to the Jayapura District Police headquarters (Polres Jayapura) in the evening at 09:00 am.
At 12:25 am, police officers transported him to Polres Jayapura in Doya Baru, Sentani, where he was subjected to coercive interrogation and torture. Police officers reprotedly hit him with bare hands and a hammer during questioning. His family members and legal representatives from the Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) have been denied access to meet him during his first week of detention, despite every suspect’s right to legal assistance from the moment of arrest. Human rights organisations in Jayapura expressed concern over the lack of transparency surrounding his detention and urged the police to clarify the legal status and grant access to his lawyers and family.
Human rights analysis
The reported detention of Mr Roy Suhuniap raise serious concerns under international human rights law. The alleged arrest by intelligence and police officers at Jayapura Port, without presentation of an arrest warrant or explanation of the legal basis, may constitute arbitrary detention contrary to Article 9(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The failure to inform Roy Suhuniap of the reasons for his arrest at the time of apprehension may further violate Article 9(2) ICCPR.
The reported failure of the police to disclose Mr Suhuniap’s exact place of detention to his family, together with the prevention of friends and colleagues from visiting the suspect and obtaining information about the reason for the arrest, raises additional concerns regarding access to legal safeguards and the right to challenge the lawfulness of detention under Article 9(4) ICCPR. If Mr Suhuniap is being detained on a criminal charge, he must be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorised by law to exercise judicial power, as required by Article 9(3) ICCPR. Continued detention without prompt judicial oversight would deepen concerns of arbitrariness.
Given that Mr Suhuniap is reportedly a student at Cenderawasih University, any prolonged arbitrary detention that interferes with his ability to continue his studies may also affect his enjoyment of the right to education under Article.
Mr Roy Suhuniap during detention at the Jayapura police station (Polres Jayapura)
Detailed Case Data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-082-2026
Region: Indonesia > Papua > Jayapura
Total number of victims: 1
#
Number of Victims
Name, Details
Gender
Age
Group Affiliation
Violations
1.
1
Roy Suhuniap
diverse
23
Indigenous Peoples, Student
arbitrary detention, criminalisation, torture
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Police > POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polresta Jayapura
Issues: indigenous peoples, security force violenceRelated Cases:
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