Police arrest twenty Papuan activists during peaceful protest in Merauke

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Police officers forcefully dispersed a peaceful demonstration organised by the Alliance of Students, Youth, and People Caring for the Customary Land of South Papua (Ampera) in the Merauke Regency, Papua Selatan Province, on 18 November 2023. The demonstration aimed to voice concerns about the plight of the Awyu indigenous people, who had faced defeat in a dispute at the Jayapura State Administrative Court. Twenty student activists were arbitrarily detained at the Merauke District Police Headquarters (see photos on top and below, source: independent HRDs). All were reportedly released on the following day.

Human rights organisations criticised the arrests. The Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua) protested the police intervention, asserting that Ampera had adequately notified the Merauke Police about the demonstration beforehand. LBH Papua Director Emanuel Gobay argued that the dispersal and subsequent arrests constituted a violation of Law No. 9/1998 on Freedom of Expression in Public, emphasizing that the actions of the Merauke Police contradicted their duties as law enforcers, as outlined in Article 13 of Law No 2/2002 concerning the Indonesian National Police.

Gobay further denounced the arrests as an abuse of authority, citing relevant regulations and accusing the Merauke Police Chief of suppressing democratic space and violating human rights principles as well as fundamental standards in the implementation of police duties. LBH Papua called for the immediate release of the 20 Ampera PS protestors, urging intervention from the Papua Regional Police Chief and the Papua Selatan Governor.

Representatives of the Papuan Regional Police (Polda Papua) denied that the protesters were arbitrarily detained. In an interview with CNN Indonesia, Polda Papua spokesperson Commissioner Ignatius Benny Prabowo stated, “… there were no arrests. They [the protesters] were only questioned and later sent home […] they were secured because they carried Morning Star symbols during the rally.”

Names of persons arrested in Merauke on 18 December 2023

1Eliron Kogoya11Yohanes Tegie
2Yoram Owagai12Alex Boby
3Emynce (female)13Martinus Magai
4Elias Thackon14Paulus Madai
5Ambros Nit15Simri Tabuni
6Fidel Bengga16Boas Wegi
7Natalis Buer17Dorus
8Petrus Buer18Kosmas Kosay
9Dadiel Magai19Yulianus Tigi
10Robertus Meanggi20Yulius Tani

Photos of detained AMPERA activists in Merauke, 18 11.2023

Detailed Case Data
Location: Polsek Merauke
Region: Indonesia, South Papua, Merauke, Merauke
Total number of victims: 21

# Number of Victims Name, Details Gender Age Group Affiliation Violations
1. 1 Otopius Bagau, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
2. 1 Eliron Kogoya, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
3. 1 Yoram Owagai, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
4. 1 Emynce, student
 female unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
5. 1 Elias Thackon, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
6. 1 Ambros Nit, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
7. 1 Fidel Bengga, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
8. 1 Natalis Buer, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
9. 1 Petrus Buer, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
10. 1 Dadiel Magai, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
11. 1 Robertus Meanggi, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
12. 1 Yohanes Tegie, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
13. 1 Alex Boby, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
14. 1 Martinus Magai, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
15. 1 Paulus Madai, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
16. 1 Simri Tabuni, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
17. 1 Boas Wegi, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
18. 1 Dorus, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
19. 1 Kosmas Kosay, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
20. 1 Yulianus Tigi, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
21. 1 Yulius Tani, student
 male unknown Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
Period of incident: 18/11/2023 – 18/11/2023
Perpetrator: Indonesian Police

Perpetrator details: unknown

Issues: security force violence, indigenous peoples