Indonesia

Man dies during detention at Mamuju Police Station in West Sulawesi

A rape suspect, 30-year-old Salamah, died in the Central Mamuju Police Office, West Sulawesi Province, on 24 February 2022. The bruises on Salamah’s body indicated that he had been tortured. This allegation of torture was reinforced by the post-mortem results, which stated that Salamah had been subjected to violence.

Human Rights Council calls for access to West Papua during UPR

On 9 November 2022, Indonesia was reviewed for a fourth time by the UN Human Rights Council’s (HRC) Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a review in which the members of the Human Rights Council discuss the overall human rights situation in Indonesia, including in West Papua. During the three hours session in Geneva, Indonesia presented its human rights record from the state’s perspective after it had submitted its national report for this review.

Soldiers allegedly torture and kill a junior fellow soldier – investigations point to more victims

Four Manuhua Biak Air Force soldiers (TNI AU) allegedly tortured their junior, Prada Indra Wijaya, an enlisted man assigned to the Secretariat, Makoopsud III Biak. Prada Indra Wijaya died with a bleeding head and blood pouring out and full of bruises. He had fainted at the Mess Makoopsud III Biak and was then taken to the Manuhua Biak Air Force Base hospital for treatment. Still, he died on 19 November 2022.   

A man died in detention in the Muna Polres Headquarters in South Sulawesi

A 45-year-old man named Amis Ando died after being detained at the Muna Resort Police (Polres) Headquarters for 12 hours. He was arrested and detained on 3 May 2022 at 8 pm because he was caught possessing a knife while drunk in a resident’s house. He was found dead on 4 May 2022. There were strong indications that Amis Ando had been tortured.

Young man dies in Halmahera West prison cell – family suspects ill-treatment and torture

wenty-three-year-old RF, a resident of Loce Village, East Sahu Subdistrict, who was a suspect in a case of maltreatment, died at the West Halmahera Resort Police Office, North Maluku Province, on 13 October 2022. Police said that the suspect died by hanging himself in the holding cell. However, the police provided different versions of information and delayed providing accurate information to the family. This made the family doubt the truth that RF died by suicide.

Public official tortures two journalists in Kerawang Regency

A public official with the initials AA, one of the heads of an agency in Kerawang Regency, West Java tortured two journalists, Gusti Sevta Gumilar and Zaenal Mustofa, on Saturday night, 17 September 2022, and Sunday morning, 18 September 2022. There are strong indications that AA and his men kidnapped, illegally detained, punched and kicked the victims’ bodies and genitals, forced the victims to drink urine, and threatened to kill the victims.

Criminalisation of Tongkunisolu Indigenous People in North Sumatra in Land Conflict with PT Toba Pulp Lestari

PT Toba Pulp Lestari Tbk (PT TPL) criminalised 59-year-old Dirman Rajagukguk, a farmer and member of the Tongkunisolu indigenous community in West Parsoburan Village, Habinsaran District, Toba Regency, North Sumatra Province. PT TPL reported Dirman to the Porsea Sector Police in August 2022. PT TPL accused Dirman of destroying 69 hectares of the company’s industrial plantation forest by planting yams, and corn and building a house.

Alleged obstruction of presidential candidate Anis Baswedan’s campaign

Some local governments allegedly obstructed the political expression of presidential candidate Anis Baswedan. They made it difficult for Anis Baswedan to conduct political activities in areas such as West Java, Riau and Aceh, such as making it difficult, revoking permits that had been issued. The reasons for the revocation of permits vary, but Anies Baswedan’s volunteers said they caught an attempt to hamper Anies’ movement in the regions.