Police members dispersed a peaceful demonstration organised by the ‘Papuan Peoples Front Caring for Human Rights’ (FRPHAMP) in the town of Nabire, Papua Tengah Province on 5 April 2024. The demonstration was registered following legal requirements on 3 April 2024 in response to a video showing Indonesian soldiers torturing an indigenous Papuan in the Paniai regency in February 2024. The officers dispersed the crowd in various locations, namely at the Karang Tumaritis market, in front of Siriwini Hospital, SP 1 Nabire Barat intersection, the USWIM campus, and Jepara II Wadio Hotel.
At least eight protesters were reportedly subjected to arbitrary assaults and torture. Mr Wandagau was arbitrarily arrested and taken to the police station, where he was tortured. Police officers with a stick on the back of his head and strangulated his neck until he fainted. At least seven other protesters sustained injuries as police officers forcefully dispersed the protest with rubber bullets, tear gas grenades, and wooden batons.
Police officers reportedly detained 27 protesters during the demonstration. Four journalists, all indigenous Papuans, were prevented from covering the crackdown despite showing their press cards. Officers collectively beat journalist Mr Melkianus Dogopia and seized his mobile phone.
Nabire Police Chief, Mr Wahyudi Satriyo Bintoro, when interviewed in front of the Central Papua governor’s office, apologised for the ill-treatments against journalists while covering the demonstration in Nabire but did not elaborate on the ill-treatment and torture of protesters.
Indonesian authorities harshly restrict the freedom of assembly and freedom of expression in West Papua, particularly for protests voicing self-determination or human rights issues. Police crackdowns on the protests only appeared in West Papua. Another protest in response to the video was forcefully dispersed in Jayapura on 2 April 2024, while demonstrations by Papuan students in cities outside of West Papua were allowed to proceed; in Manado, Sulawesi Utara Province, Papuan students carried out a peaceful protest with the same content in front of the North Sulawesi Regional Police office on 3 April 2023.
Police crackdown on peaceful protest in Nabire, 5 April 2024
Table of journalists subjected to ill-treatment and obstruction while covering the crackdown on the peaceful protesters in Nabire on 5 April 2024
| No | Name | Media | Injuries sustained |
| 1 | Mr Elias Douw | Wagadei.id | Police officers with wooden batons chased after Mr Douw, preventing him from covering the protest |
| 2 | Mr Kristianus Degey | Ssputarpapua.com | Police officers insulted Mr Degey and prevented him from covering arrests |
| 3 | Mr Melkianus Dogopia | Tadahnews.com | Police officers intimidated Mr Deogopia and prevented him from covering arrests |
| 4 | Mr Yulianus Degei | Tribun Papua | Police officers collectively beat Mr Degei as he covered the crackdown and seized his mobile phone with force |
Table of protesters subjected to torture and ill-treatment during a crackdown on the peaceful demonstration in Nabire on 5 April 2024
| No | Name | Age | Injuries sustained |
| 1 | Mr Ayub Wandagau | 19 | Mr Wandagau was arbitrarily arrested and taken to the police station, where he was tortured. Police officers with a stick on the back of his head on the front of his calf and strangulated his neck until he fainted. Officers submitted him to Nabire Regional Hospital at 11:30. He regained consciousness at 12:20 |
| 2 | Opinus Japugau | 12 | Police officers beat him in the face and hit him with a wooden baton on the back of his head |
| 3 | Mr Tendi Tabuni | 29 | A rubber bullet hit Mr Tabuni in the abdomen and head. He was taken to Nabire Regional Hospital at around 14:40 |
| 4 | Mr Jefri Tabuni | 21 | A rubber bullet hit Mr Tabuni in the right thigh. He was taken to Nabire Regional Hospital at around 14:40 |
| 5 | Mr Alex Sondegau | 19 | Was hit by a rubber bullet on the right temple in front of Jepara Hotel 2 |
| 6 | Mr Ari Tipagau | 20 | Was hit by a rubber bullet on the right temple in front of Jepara Hotel 2 |
| 7 | Malon Miagoni | 15 | Was beaten by police officers on the left temple, causing a bleeding cut above the left eye |
| 8 | Aprion Bagubau | 14 | Was beaten by police officers during the protest and fainted |
MR Ayub Wandagau receiving medical treatment at the Nabire hospital
Opinus Japugau, 12, receiving medical treatment at the Nabire hospital
Mr Tendi Tabuni receiving medical treatment at the Nabire hospital
Mr Jefri Tabuni receiving medical treatment at the Nabire hospital
Mr Alex Sondegau was hit by a rubber bullet on the right temple in front of Jepara 2 Hotel
Mr Ari Tipagau was hit by a rubber bullet on the right temple in front of Jepara 2 Hotel
Malon Miagoni, 15, after being beaten by security force members in front of Jepara 2 Hotel
Aprion Abugau, 14, was beaten by security force members during the protest at Jepara 2 Hotel and fainted
Detailed Case Data
name of the location: a text string, if possible coordinates in brackets (-4.29, 138.18)
administrative region: Indonesia, Papua Tengah Province, Nabire Regency, Nabire
total number of victims: dozens
period of incident: 05.04.2024
perpetrator: other security forces
perpetrator details: unknown
Issues: freedom of expression, torture, journalists, freedom of peaceful assembly, indigenous peoples, torture, ill-treatment
Sources:
Further HRM News:
| Number | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1 | Elias Douw, journalist | male | unknown | indigenous, journalists | freedom of expression, ill-treatment |
| 1 | Kristianus Degey, journalist | male | unknown | indigenous, journalists | freedom of expression, ill-treatment |
| 1 | Melkianus Dogopia, journalist | male | unknown | indigenous, journalists | freedom of expression, ill-treatment |
| 1 | Yulianus Degei, journalist | male | unknown | indigenous, journalists | freedom of expression, ill-treatment |
| 1 | Ayub Wandagau | male | 19 | indigenous, activist | freedom of assembly, arbitrary detention, torture |
| 1 | Opinus Japugau | male | 12 | indigenous | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment |
| 1 | Tendi Tabuni | male | 29 | indigenous | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment |
| 1 | Jefri Tabuni | male | 21 | indigenous | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment |
| 1 | Alex Sondegau | male | 19 | indigenous | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment |
| 1 | Ari Tipagau | male | 20 | indigenous | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment |
| 1 | Malon Miagoni | male | 15 | indigenous | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment |
| 1 | Aprion Bagubau | male | 14 | indigenous | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment |
| dozens | unknown | unknown | unknown | indigenous | freedom of assembly |
