2) Arbitrary detention of seven pupils in Sinak, Puncak Regency
3) Military members detain gold panner without warrant in Dekai, Yahukimo
4) Arbitrary detention of five Papuans at Old Sentani Market in Jayapura Regency
Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai said the team visited the riot site in Dogiyai regency, Central Papua province, to open dialogue with various parties.
They are currently holding intensive meetings with various elements, including community
members, victims, tribal chiefs, church leaders and regional officials, said Pigai, a Catholic and an indigenous Papuan, on April 6.
We are awaiting a complete report from the team before releasing it to the public, he added.
The unrest began after the body of police officer
Jufentus Edowai was found in a ditch in front of Kingmi Ebenhaezer Church in Moanemani on March 31.
A group calling itself the Papuan People's Solidarity
said its investigation found that joint police and
military forces carried out a revenge
operation through April 2.
The joint forces conducted pursuit, sweeping and indiscriminate shooting in all directions. They combed public roads, residential areas and civilian villages, the group said in a statement.
The group said five civilians were killed, including a 70-year-old woman and two children aged
11 and 12. Three others were seriously injured.
The violence prompted protests in which residents attacked a police station in Dogiyai.
Dogiyai Deputy Police Chief Adjunct Commissioner Ngarifin said the station was damaged.
The roof was riddled with arrows. In addition, a shop near the police station was burned, he said, adding that two officers were injured.
Police have not identified suspects in the killing of their colleague.
Wirya Adiwena, deputy director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said the killing of a law enforcement officer was a serious crime and those responsible must be brought to justice.
However, he said the response — involving
heavy gunfire and pursuit operations that left civilians dead — suggests the possibility of extrajudicial killings.
This incident confirms that civilians remain the most vulnerable group caught in the cycle of conflict, without adequate protection from the state, he said.
Amnesty International is calling for an independent fact-finding team and urging the government to review its militarized approach in Papua.
The Dogiyai violence comes amid a worsening human rights situation in the region.
In a March 26 report, Human Rights Monitor said that since January, more than 107,000 civilians across several regions have been internally displaced due to military operations and armed conflict.
Church leaders and non-governmental organizations have repeatedly called for a halt to military operations in civilian areas and for humanitarian access.
A Papuan man, who requested anonymity for security reasons, told UCA News the incident is part of a long pattern in which the deaths of security personnel in Papua trigger a disproportionate response against civilians — a cycle that has never been fully and independently investigated.
He said the government's deployment of a
human rights team had been met with caution.
For some, this is a positive signal from the central government. For others, it remains to be seen
whether the government will truly listen this time or simply act to calm the situation temporarily, he said.
Christian-majority Papua has experienced decades of violence since the 1960s, when Indonesia assumed control from Dutch colonial rule following a referendum widely criticized as rigged.
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2) Arbitrary detention of seven pupils in Sinak, Puncak Regency
On 22 March 2026 at approximately 5:00 pm, military members and Marine Corps personnel reportedly detained seven Papuan civilians, primarily pupils, in the Sinak District, Puncak Regency, Central Papua province. The detainees, consisting of one female and six males, namely, Ms Meri Murib,18, Nikanus Murib, 17, Erendis Murib, 17, Ois Tabuni, 18, Yusmin Murib, 10, Tendis Tabuni, 18, and Urundi Murib, 18. As of 25 March 2026, four detainees had been released, while three individuals remained in detention without confirmed legal status.
According to the information received, the group was traveling from Oneri District to the Gigobak Village to attend school exams scheduled for the following day when they were intercepted by joint military personnel. The group was immediately detained without arrest warrants being presented at the time of apprehension, and without indication that the individuals were engaged in any unlawful activity. Following the apprehension, the detainees were taken into custody at an undisclosed location. Ms Meri Murib, Tendis Tabuni, Urundi Murib, and Yusmin Murib were later released whereas Nikanus Murib, Erendis Murib, and Ois Tabuni reportedly remain detained, with no clear information regarding access to legal counsel or formal charges.
Human rights and legal analysis
The detention of minors and students in this context raises serious concerns under international human rights law. The deprivation of liberty appears to be arbitrary, as defined under Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), due to the absence of legal basis, lack of warrant, and failure to inform the detainees of the reasons for their arrest. The involvement of children, including a 10-year-old minor, further engages protections under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, particularly Articles 37 and 40, which prohibit unlawful or arbitrary detention of children and require that detention be used only as a measure of last resort.
Furthermore, the disruption of access to education for students travelling to participate in school exams may constitute a violation of the right to education under Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The arbitrary detention of persons, particularly minors, also raises concerns regarding compliance with Indonesian domestic law, particularly provisions under the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) governing lawful arrest procedures, including the requirement of an arrest warrant and prompt notification of charges.
Detailed Case Data
Location: Gigobak / Gogobak, Sinak, Puncak Regency, Central Papua, Indonesia (-3.8363934, 137.7736217)
Region: Indonesia, Central Papua, Puncak, Sinak
Total number of victims: 7
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Meri Murib | female | 18 | Indigenous Peoples, Student | arbitrary detention |
| 2. | 1 | Nikanus Murib | male | 17 | Indigenous Peoples, Student | arbitrary arrest |
| 3. | 1 | Erendis Murib | male | 17 | Indigenous Peoples, Student | arbitrary arrest |
| 4. | 1 | Ois Tabuni | male | 18 | Indigenous Peoples, Student | arbitrary arrest |
| 5. | 1 | Yusmin Murib | male | 10 | Indigenous Peoples, Student | arbitrary detention |
| 6. | 1 | Tendis Murib | male | 18 | Indigenous Peoples, Student | arbitrary detention |
| 7. | 1 | Urundi Murib | male | 18 | Indigenous Peoples, Student | arbitrary detention |
Perpetrator: , Indonesian Military (TNI)
Perpetrator details: military members and Marine Corps
Issues: indigenous peoples, women and children3) Military members detain gold panner without warrant in Dekai, Yahukimo
On 10 March 2026, Members of the Indonesian Marine Corps arbitrarily detained indigenous gold panner, Mr Anton Payage, at the Marine Corps post on Seradala Road near the Nami River gold panning site in Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Highlands Province. Mr Payage was apprehended while travelling to a traditional gold panning location. The grounds for the arrest remain unclear, and no warrant was presented at the time of apprehension.
According to the information received, Mr Anton Payage and other passengers were travelling together in a single vehicle towards the Nami River gold panning site when they were stopped by members of the Yahukimo Marine Corps unit around 11:30 am. The arrest occurred directly in front of a Marine Corps post on Seradala Road. While multiple individuals were reportedly present in the vehicle, only Mr Payage was apprehended. Witnesses indicate that the security forces did not provide any explanation for the arrest, nor did the security force personnel present an arrest warrant.
Human rights and legal analysis
The arrest raises serious concerns under international human rights law, particularly regarding the prohibition of arbitrary detention. Under Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights(ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State Party, any deprivation of liberty must be lawful, necessary, and accompanied by clear legal grounds. The failure to present an arrest warrant, provide reasons for the arrest, or ensure prompt access to legal counsel suggests a violation of these standards. Furthermore, the targeting of civilians engaged in subsistence economic activities such as gold panning raises concerns about discriminatory or security-driven policing practices in West Papua.
Under Indonesian domestic law, the arrest also appears to contravene provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), which requires law enforcement officials to present an arrest warrant and clearly state the reasons for arrest, except in cases of flagrante delicto. There is no indication that such conditions were met in this case. The involvement of military personnel in civilian law enforcement activities further raises concerns regarding the militarisation of policing functions and the lack of accountability mechanisms.
Given the broader pattern of similar incidents in Yahukimo Regency, this case may form part of a wider practice of arbitrary detention carried out by Indonesian security forces, particularly in areas associated with natural resource extraction or alleged separatist activity.
Detailed Case Data
Location: 4J38+JV, Kokamu, Dekai, Yahukimo regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia (-4.8958868, 139.6171251) Marine Corps Post near Nami River
Region: Indonesia, Highland Papua, Yahukimo, Dekai
Total number of victims: 1
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Anton Payage | male | adult | Indigenous Peoples | arbitrary detention |
Perpetrator: Indonesian Military (TNI), Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL)
Issues: indigenous peoples
4) Arbitrary detention of five Papuans at Old Sentani Market in Jayapura Regency
On 12 March 2026, Indonesian security forces arbitrarily apprehended Mr Oksal Kobak, 28, Mr Yos Payage, 36, Mr Simion Payage, 29, Mr Menase Heluka, and Mr Oser Kobak at the Old Sentani Market in Jayapura Regency, Papua Province. The arrests were reportedly carried out without the presentation of warrants, and some individuals were subsequently designated as suspects. Only two of the detainees were released without charges on 13 March 2026.
According to the information received from local human rights defenders, security forces arrived at the Old Sentani Market in a vehicle at approximately 07:24 pm on 12 March 2026 and immediately apprehended five individuals. No explanation or legal documentation was provided at the time of arrest. The operation appeared indiscriminate, with individuals taken into custody without prior summons or evident criminal conduct.
While Mr Menase Heluka and Mr Oser Kobak were reportedly released on 13 March 2026, others remained in detention. Families and community members had not received formal notification regarding the charges, legal basis for detention, or the physical condition of those detained as of 15 March 2026.
Human rights and legal analysis
The conduct of the detentrions raises substantial concerns under international human rights law. The failure to present arrest warrants, provide reasons for arrest, and ensure prompt access to legal counsel constitutes a violation of the right to liberty and security of person under Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The apparent incommunicado detention further increases the risk of ill-treatment or torture, contrary to Article 7 ICCPR and the Convention against Torture (CAT). The lack of transparency and denial of family access also contravenes fundamental safeguards against arbitrary detention and enforced disappearance.
Under Indonesian law, the described actions violate provisions of the Indonesian Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), which requires that arrests be based on sufficient preliminary evidence, accompanied by an arrest warrant (except in flagrante delicto situations. Moreover, detainees must be informed of the reasons for their arrest. The authorities are further obligated to notify families and ensure access to legal representation without delay.
Detailed Case Data
Location: CGJ3+FW5, Jl. Ps. Lama Sentani, Dobonsolo, Kec. Sentani, Kabupaten Jayapura, Papua 99359, Indonesia (-2.568861, 140.5048707) Pasar Lama Sentani
Region: Indonesia, Papua, Jayapura Regency, Sentani
Total number of victims: 5
| # | Number of Victims | Name, Details | Gender | Age | Group Affiliation | Violations |
| 1. | 1 | Oksal Kobak | male | 28 | Indigenous Peoples | arbitrary arrest |
| 2. | 1 | Yos Payage | male | 24 | Indigenous Peoples | arbitrary arrest |
| 3. | 1 | Simion Payage | male | 29 | Indigenous Peoples | arbitrary arrest |
| 4. | 1 | Menase Heluka | male | Indigenous Peoples | arbitrary detention | |
| 5. | 1 | Oser Kobak | male | Indigenous Peoples | arbitrary detention |
Perpetrator: , Indonesian Security Forces
Issues: indigenous peoples
