On 30 September 2026, Indonesian police intervened in a student protest at the Jayapura University of Science and Technology (USTJ) campus in Padang Bulan, Abepura District, Jayapura City, Papua Province. Hundreds of students reportedly participated in the peaceful political protest, during which they raised the Morning Star flag and delivered speeches concerning West Papua’s political history and the right to self-determination.
Following the events, police personnel entered the university grounds and reportedly fired dozens of tear gas canisters to disperse the gathering (see photos below, source: independent HRD). Preliminary information indicates that police officers detained three USTJ students, identified as Mr Inios Enembe, Mr Mikael Obaipa, Franky Salak and Mr Apniel Yagani. The place of detention is not known at the time of reporting.
Hundreds of USTJ students gathered on the university campus in Padang Bulan on 30 September 2026, to commemorate and critically discuss political developments concerning West Papua in 1962. During the protest, students raised a Morning Star flag on a flagpole inside the campus grounds and displayed additional Morning Star flags as well as a flag associated with the Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Students delivered political speeches and displayed banners calling for international attention to the human rights situation in West Papua and for self-determination.
According to Jubi, dozens of officers from the Jayapura City Police entered the USTJ campus while the demonstration was underway. Police deployed a water-cannon vehicle and riot-control personnel (see video below: source: independent HRD). At that stage, students continued delivering political speeches and stated that they intended to keep the Morning Star flag flying until sunset. The situation subsequently escalated when police officers entered the university grounds and fired dozens of tear gas canisters to disperse the students.
Following the events, police reportedly detained Mr Inios Enembe, Mr Mikael Obaipa, Franky Salak and Mr Apniel Yagani in connection with the protest. Their current place of detention remained unclear, with sources indicating that they may have been taken either to the Abepura Sector Police Station or the Jayapura City Police Headquarters. The legal basis for the detention is currently not known.
Human rights and legal analysis
The events raise serious concerns regarding the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, protected under Articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Indonesia ratified the ICCPR through Law No. 12/2005. These guarantees apply to political expression, including expression that challenges government policies or advances controversial political positions.
Under international human rights law, peaceful assemblies may be subject only to restrictions that satisfy the requirements of legality, legitimate purpose, necessity and proportionality. The UN Human Rights Committee has emphasised that states have obligations not merely to refrain from unjustified interference but to facilitate peaceful assemblies and protect participants. Dispersal, arrest or other sanctions against participants therefore require specific and compelling justification.
The political content of the USTJ protest, including advocacy concerning self-determination and the display of the Morning Star flag does not remove the activity from the protection afforded to political expression under international human rights law. Restrictions cannot be justified merely because authorities disagree with the political message being expressed. Whether individual conduct falls outside the protection of peaceful assembly depends on the actual behaviour concerned, particularly whether participants engage in violence, rather than simply on the political position they advocate.
The deployment and use of tear gas inside university grounds requires particular scrutiny. Law-enforcement authorities must seek to facilitate peaceful assemblies and should resort to dispersal only where this is justified under applicable human rights standards. Any use of force must comply with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, precaution and accountability. The available information does not indicate that the students were engaging in violence immediately before police reportedly fired tear gas.
Indonesian domestic law also recognises freedom of public expression. Law No. 9 of 1998 on Freedom to Express Opinions in Public remains in force and provides the domestic statutory framework governing public expression. Indonesia has additionally informed the UN Human Rights Committee that freedom of assembly, association and expression is constitutionally guaranteed under Article 28E(3) of the 1945 Constitution, alongside relevant protections under Law No. 39 of 1999 on Human Rights.
If the reported detention of Mr Inios Enembe, Mr Mikael Obaipa, Franky Salak and Mr Apniel Yagani is confirmed, the authorities must immediately disclose their whereabouts and legal status. Article 9 ICCPR prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention and requires that arrested persons be informed, at the time of arrest, of the reasons for their arrest and promptly informed of any charges. They must also have an effective opportunity to challenge the lawfulness of their detention and obtain access to legal assistance.
Police personnel enter the USTJ Campus with water cannons and teargas, 30 September 2026
Students found these teargas ammunition shells after the crowd control operation at the USTJ campus in Jayapura on 30 September 2026
Police officer detained four students following the flag raising event at USTJ Campus, 30 September 2026
Students raised the Morning Star flag at the USTJ Campus and peacefully delivered speeches, 30 September 2026
Detailed Case Data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-137-2026
Location: Jl. Sosial Padang Bulan, Hedam, Kec. Abepura, Kota Jayapura, Papua 99352, Indonesia (-2.6051992, 140.6573053) USTJ Campus, Jayapura
Region: Indonesia > Papua > Jayapura > Abepura
Total number of victims: 4
#
Number of Victims
Name, Details
Gender
Age
Group Affiliation
Violations
1.
1
Inios Enembe
male
adult
Indigenous Peoples, Student
arbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
2.
1
Mikael Obaipa
male
adult
Indigenous Peoples, Student
arbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
3.
1
Apniel Yagani
male
adult
Indigenous Peoples, Student
arbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
4.
1
Franky Salak
male
adult
Student
arbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Police > POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polresta Jayapura
Issues: indigenous peoples, security force violenceRelated Cases:
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