On 8 December 2022, two intoxicated police officers reportedly tortured three political detainees during detention at the Jayapura police headquarters. They were arrested for raising the morning star flag at the Jayapura University for Science and Technology on 10 November 2022 (see photo, source: Independent HRDs).
The torture occurred while Mr Ernesto Yoseph Matuan, Mr Devio Basten Tekege and Mr Ambrosius Elopere were detained at the Papua Regional Police (Polda Papua) headquarters in Jayapura. According to information received, the officers entered the cell around 6.00 am and forced the three detainees to line up in front of the cell. The detainees concluded from the smell of the alcohol scent that the two officers were intoxicated. A police officer told them to cover the surveillance camera. One policeman took the registration book for visitors and smashed it into Mr Devio Tekege’s face. Mr Tekege fainted as a result of the hit to his head. The police officers carried Mr Tekege away and threatened his inmates not to be quiet about the incident.
Around 9.00 am, the three political detainees reported the incident to the Profession and Security Division (Propam). A Propam representative claimed he would process the complaint. It is unclear how and if the incident was followed up by Propam and whether the perpetrators have been sanctioned. After the torture, the three political detainees were allegedly moved to isolation cells.
