On 31 October 2022, police mobile brigade special unit officers (Brimob) of the Dekai District Police and Damai Cartenz joint security task force members arrested Mr Yontinus Kogoya in the town of Dekai, Yahukimo Regency and subsequently tortured him. Mr Kogoya escaped from a correctional facility in Wamena in June 2022, where he had served nine months of his 15-months imprisonment sentence. According to information received from the Papuan Foundation for Justice and Human Integrity (YKKMP), police officers shot Mr Kogoya’s left leg as he attempted to escape the arrest. Thereupon, police officers handcuffed him and brought him to the nearby forest, where they tied both legs together before shooting both of his knees from close range (see photo, source: YKKMP). It is believed that the torture was meant to be a punishment for the prison escape.
Mr Yontius Kogoya was admitted to the Yahukimo General Hospital, receiving medical treatment between 3 and 5 November 2022 (see photo on top, source: independent HRDs). However, doctors could not remove the bullet projectile from his knee due to insufficient medical equipment at the hospital. On 6 November 2022, Mr Kogoya was transferred to the correctional facility in Wamena. He reportedly received medical treatment at the general hospital in Wamena for several days, but the bullet could still not be removed.
On 25 November 2022, Mr Kogoya was released from medical treatment at the Wamena hospital, while the bullet projectile remained inside his knee. Doctors at the hospital and representatives of the correctional facility in Wamena have confirmed the need for surgery at the better-equipped hospital in Jayapura. However, neither the relatives nor the correctional facility has the funds for Mr Kogoya’s transportation and medical treatment.
Human rights defenders visiting Mr Kogoya during medical treatment at the Wamena hospital. They witnessed that he was constantly handcuffed to his hospital bed even though he could not walk since undergoing treatment at the Wamena hospital for almost one month (see photos below, source: YKKMP).
Photos of Mr Yontinus Kogoya at the general hospital in Wamena
Detailed Case Data
name of the location: near Himalaya Gold Shop, Jalan Pemukiman Jalur 1 Dekai District (-4.864747473662623, 139.48311943221447)
administrative region: Indonesia, Papua Province, Yahukimo Regency, Dekai District
total number of victims: 1
period of incident: 31.10.2022
perpetrator: police, other security forces, judiciary
perpetrator details: Brimob officers of the Dekai District Police and Damai Canrtenz joint security task force
Issues: torture, ill-treatment, indigenous peoples
Sources:
Further HRM News:
| Number | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violation |
| 1 | Yontinus Kogoya | male | 30 | indigenous | torture, ill-treatment |
