Another excessive force incident was reported from the Papuan town of Nabire, Papua Tengah Province, on 21 February 2023. Police officers opened fire at 19-year-old Mr Nopelian Egupa. The officers suspected him of being involved in the theft of a motorcycle, which occurred shortly before the incident. Mr Egupa’s lawyer declared that his client was innocent. Mr Egupa was on his way home from a burial ceremony when the police opened fire at him. According to the information received, Mr Egupa had only recently come to Nabire from a small village in the interior. He was not yet able to speak the Indonesian language fluently.
The shooting occurred in the Kali Harapan Area. A police patrol car was combing the area to look for the perpetrators of a motorcycle theft. As the officers saw Mr Egupa, the car approached the victim and wanted to intercept him. Mr Egupa became afraid and ran away. Thereupon, an officer drew his weapon and fired multiple shots at him. One projectile pierced his hand, and another one hit his right leg and remained inside the body. Another projectile hit Mr Egupa’s left leg, causing a fracture.
The Kaki Abu Legal Aid Institute accompanied the victim during the medical examination and will provide legal assistance to the victim. The victim’s relatives want to report the incident to the Nabire Police Chief. They demand the perpetrators be held accountable for the excessive use of firearms in a police ethics code process. According to Mr Egupa, the police officers did not release warning shots before taking aimed shots, as required under the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP).
Detailed Case Data
name of the location: Kali Harapan Area (-3.369115201530835, 135.52546426519658)
administrative region: Indonesia, Papua Tengah Province, Nabire Regency, Nabire town
total number of victims: one
period of incident: 21.02.2023
perpetrator: police
perpetrator details: unknown
Issues: torture, ill-treatment, indigenous peoples
Sources:
Further HRM News:
| Number | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violation |
| 1 | Nopelian Egupa | male | 19 | indigenous | ill-treatment |
