# Police officer torture indigenous Papuan in Merauke Regency

**Publisher:** [Human Rights Monitor](https://humanrightsmonitor.org)
**Document ID:** HRM-CAS-017-2023
**Document Type:** Case
**Document URL:** https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/police-officer-torture-indigenous-papuan-in-merauke-regency/
**Issues:** security force violence | indigenous peoples
**Publication Date:** February 28, 2023
**Tags:** Indonesia | West Papua

## Summary
Police Mobile Brigade Special Unit tortured Mr Lamek Wayoken (45 years) on 4 February 2023 in front of his house in the Maam Village, Ngguti District, Merauke Regency.

## Detailed Case Narrative
Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) Special Unit tortured Mr Lamek Wayoken, 45, on 4 February 2023 in front of his house in the Maam Village, [Ngguti District](https://www.google.de/maps/place/Ngguti,+Merauke+Regency,+Papua,+Indonesia/@-7.667245,139.2871661,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m10!1m2!2m1!1sKampung+Maam,+Ngguti+!3m6!1s0x68350efbf169edb7:0x9d02c86a83a9645!8m2!3d-7.5043722!4d139.609512!15sChRLYW1wdW5nIE1hYW0sIE5nZ3V0aZIBDmlkX3N1YmRpc3RyaWN04AEA!16s%2Fg%2F121rjlzp). He is an indigenous Papuan owning parts of the land on which the company PT Dongin Prabhawa established its plantation. Before the torture, Mr Wayoken had stopped a fight between two young men near the [PT Dongin Prabhawa](https://www.google.de/maps/place/Office+PT.+Dongin+Prabhawa/@-7.372385,139.6738305,29603m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m10!1m2!2m1!1sKampung+Maam,+Ngguti+!3m6!1s0x683596135eb6b6a3:0x1ddcbfd5c7ec488!8m2!3d-7.3905194!4d139.7105784!15sChRLYW1wdW5nIE1hYW0sIE5nZ3V0aZIBEGNvcnBvcmF0ZV9vZmZpY2XgAQA!16s%2Fg%2F11c60ml1_j!5m1!1e4) main camp. He seized the weapons and brought them to his house to avoid further violence.

Shortly thereafter, the police came to Mr Wayoken’s house in the Maam Village. Mr Lamek Wayoken walked outside to talk to the police officers. One of the Brimob members holding the rubber belt of a car hit Mr Wayoken with the belt in the face and kicked him in the stomach until he fell on the ground. Mr Wayoken sustained bruises on his right temple and the right eye due to the torture. He asked the officers why they had come to his house and tortured him. However, the officers did not respond to his question.

 Mr Wayoken was arbitrarily arrested and forced to enter the patrol car. The officers brought him to a container and detained him inside until the officers’ superior (Danpos) came and released Mr Lamek Wayoken. Mr Wayoken had to consult a doctor in Merauke and cover the medical treatment of his wounds by himself.

The catholic Arch-Bishop of Merauke, Petrus Canisius Mandagi, condemned two cases of security force violence against indigenous Papuans which had occurred in the Merauke regency throughout February 2023. He called upon the authorities to hold all perpetrators accountable. "These cases must be processed quickly, because it can disturb the relation between the Papuan and non-Papuan people. The use of arbitrary violence causing people to be killed or mamed is not right at all", [said Mandagi durin g a press conference](https://jubi.id/kabupaten-merauke/2023/uskup-mandagi-kecam-tindakan-brutal-oknum-aparat-di-merauke/) on 24 february 2023.

### Mr Lamek Wayoken sustained bruises in the face as a result of the police torture
![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Victim_Lamek-Wayopen_1.jpg)

![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Victim_Lamek-Wayopen_2.jpg)

## Incident Period & Location
- **Start Date:** February 4, 2023
- **End Date:** February 4, 2023
- **Period Type:** Single Day
- **Reference Date:** February 4, 2023 (used for chronological ordering)
- **Location:** - Ngguti
- **Geographic Coordinates (WGS84):** -7.47040082028, 139.7061167327
- **Google Maps:** https://maps.google.com/?q=-7.47040082028,139.7061167327
- **Administrative Regions:**
  - **Region 1:** Indonesia (Country) > Papua Province (Province) > Merauke (Regency) > Ngguti (District)
  - **Region 2:** Indonesia (Country) > South Papua (Province) > Merauke (Regency) > Ngguti (District)

## Victims
**Total number of victims:** 1

| Count | Name | Age | Gender | Groups | Violations |
|-------|------|-----|--------|--------|------------|
| 1 person | Lamek Wayoken | 45 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | torture, arbitrary detention |

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

- **Perpetrator Description:** Brimob