Police officers arbitrarily arrest 13 KNPB activists in Jayapura while distributing leaflets for peaceful protest

Police officers of the Jayapura District Police (Polres Jayapura) arbitrarily arrested thirteen activists (see photo, Source: Jubi) of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) at the old market in the town of Sentani, Jayapura Regency, around 04.30 pm, on 22 January 2023.  All were released the same day at 11.30 pm. The KNPB activists distributed leaflets for a peaceful protest in support of Mr Victor Yeimo on 24 January 2022. Mr Yeimo is the international spokesperson of the KNPB, a civil resistance organisation promoting the right to self-determination through peaceful action. He is currently standing trial at the Jayapura District Court. He was charged with treason for participating in a demonstration against racism in 2019, which escalated into civil unrest.   

The KNPB members, Mr Imer Matuan, Mr Miles Itlay, Mr Steven Tengket, Mr Tius Passe, Mr Oktovianus Wakey, Mr Denny Esema, Mr Yosua Keroman, Mr Yongga Kogoya, Mr Yonas Tahes, Mr Sadracks Lagowan, Mr Eko Passe, Mr Nando Passe, and Mr Bartol Silak were temporarily detained and interrogated for approximately seven hours at the Polres Jayapura headquarters. The officers did not show a warrant as required under international human rights law and the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP). According to the KUHAP, arrests can only be conducted without warrants if the perpetrator is caught in the act of committing a crime. Local human rights stressed that distributing leaflets for a peaceful demonstration is not a criminal act.

The protest in front of the Jayapura District Court on 24 January proceeded peacefully. Police personnel was guarding the court building and the yard of the Jayapura District Court but allowed the activists to carry out a peaceful protest on the opposite side of the road. Dozens of Papuans attended the rally to take a firm stance against racism and the criminalisation of Victor Yeimo as human rights defender and political activist.      

Protest in support of Mr Victor Yeimo in Jayapura, 24 January 2023

Detailed Case Data
name of the location: Komplex Pasar Lama (-2.5687725760498985, 140.50513085667964)
administrative region: Indonesia, Papua Province, Jayapura Regency, Sentani District
total number of victims: 13
period of incident: 22.01.2023
perpetrator: police
perpetrator details: Polres Jayapura
Issues: freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, indigenous peoples, arbitrary detention
Sources:
Further HRM News: https://humanrightsmonitor.org/news/trial-against-human-rights-activist-victor-yeimo-re-launched-in-jayapura/