# Security force members ill-treat journalists and protesters during crackdown on peaceful demonstration in Nabire **Publisher:** [Human Rights Monitor](https://humanrightsmonitor.org) **Document ID:** HRM-CAS-027-2024 **Document Type:** Case **Document URL:** https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/security-force-members-ill-treat-journalists-and-protesters-during-crackdown-on-peaceful-demonstration-in-nabire/ **Issues:** security force violence | indigenous peoples | women and children **Publication Date:** April 15, 2024 **Tags:** Indonesia | West Papua ## Summary Joint security force 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. ## Detailed Case Narrative 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](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/news/videos-of-indonesian-soldiers-torturing-papuan-go-viral-human-rights-defenders-demand-judicial-process-against-perpetrators/). 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](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/police-prevent-peaceful-protests-against-torture-in-sentani-77-activists-arrested-at-least-two-ill-treated/), 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 ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Police-crackdown-1024x515.jpg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Police-disperse-peaceful-protest_-jepara-2-wadio-_Nabire_April24-1024x576.jpeg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Police-disperse-peaceful-protest_nabire_April24_3-1024x768.jpeg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Police-disperse-peaceful-protest_nabire_April24_4-1-1024x768.jpeg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Police-disperse-peaceful-protest_nabire_April24_5-1-1024x768.jpeg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Police-disperse-peaceful-protest_nabire_April24_6-1-1024x768.jpeg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Police-disperse-peaceful-protest_nabire_April24_10-1-1024x768.jpeg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Police-disperse-peaceful-protest_nabire_April24_14-1024x768.jpeg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Police-disperse-peaceful-protest_nabire_April24_19-1024x771.jpeg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Police-disperse-peaceful-protest_nabire_April24_20-1024x771.jpeg) ### 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](http://seputarpapua.com/) Police officers insulted Mr Degey and prevented him from covering arrests 3 Mr Melkianus Dogopia [Tadahnews.com](http://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 ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Victim_Ayub-Wandagau_1.jpg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Victim_Ayub-Wandagau_2.jpg) ### Opinus Japugau, 12, receiving medical treatment at the Nabire hospital ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim_Opinus-Japugau_1.jpg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim_Opinus-Japugau_2.jpg) ### Mr Tendi Tabuni receiving medical treatment at the Nabire hospital ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim_Tendi-Tabuni_1.jpg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim_Tendi-Tabuni_2.jpg) ### Mr Jefri Tabuni receiving medical treatment at the Nabire hospital ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim_Jefri-Tabuni_1.jpg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim_Jefri-Tabuni_2.jpg) ### Mr Alex Sondegau was hit by a rubber bullet on the right temple in front of Jepara 2 Hotel ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim_Alex-Sondegau.jpg) ### Mr Ari Tipagau was hit by a rubber bullet on the right temple in front of Jepara 2 Hotel ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim_Ari-Tipagau-1024x934.jpg) ### Malon Miagoni, 15, after being beaten by security force members in front of Jepara 2 Hotel ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim-Malon-Miagoni.jpg) ### Aprion Abugau, 14, was beaten by security force members during the protest at Jepara 2 Hotel and fainted ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim_Aprion-Bagubau_1.jpg) ![](https://humanrightsmonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/victim_Aprion-Bagubau_2.jpg) ## Incident Period & Location - **Start Date:** April 5, 2024 - **End Date:** April 5, 2024 - **Period Type:** Single Day - **Reference Date:** April 5, 2024 (used for chronological ordering) - **Location:** - a text string, if possible coordinates in brackets - **Geographic Coordinates (WGS84):** -4.29, 138.18 - **Google Maps:** https://maps.google.com/?q=-4.29,138.18 - **Administrative Regions:** - **Region 1:** Indonesia (Country) > Central Papua (Province) > Nabire (Regency) > Nabire (District) ## Victims **Total number of victims:** 12 | Count | Name | Age | Gender | Groups | Violations | |-------|------|-----|--------|--------|------------| | 1 person | Elias Douw, journalist | unknown | male | Indigenous Peoples, Journalist | freedom of expression, ill-treatment | | 1 person | Kristianus Degey, journalist | unknown | male | Indigenous Peoples, Journalist | freedom of expression, ill-treatment | | 1 person | Melkianus Dogopia, journalist | unknown | male | Indigenous Peoples, Journalist | freedom of expression, ill-treatment | | 1 person | Yulianus Degei, journalist | unknown | male | Indigenous Peoples, Journalist | freedom of expression, ill-treatment | | 1 person | Ayub Wandagau | 19 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples, Activist | freedom of assembly, arbitrary detention, torture | | 1 person | Opinus Japugau | 12 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment | | 1 person | Tendi Tabuni | 29 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment | | 1 person | Jefri Tabuni | 21 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment | | 1 person | Alex Sondegau | 19 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment | | 1 person | Ari Tipagau | 20 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment | | 1 person | Malon Miagoni | 15 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment | | 1 person | Aprion Bagubau | 14 years (exact) | male | Indigenous Peoples | freedom of assembly, ill-treatment | | dozens | unknown | unknown | unknown | Indigenous Peoples | freedom of assembly | ## Perpetrators **Perpetrator Category Paths:** - **Category 1:** Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Other Security Forces - **Perpetrator Description:** unknown