On 30 September 2026, members of the Jayapura City Police (Polresta Jayapura) allegedly assaulted Wialo Silak, Chair of the Student Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Mahasiswa, MPM) at Cenderawasih University (Uncen), at the Jayapura City Police Headquarters in Jayapura City, Papua Province. Mr Silak reportedly sustained bruising and scratches around his right eye after allegedly being struck in the face by a police officer.
During the incident, police officers reportedly checked the identities of more than a dozen Uncen students and temporarily seized their mobile phones and identity documents. The students had gathered at the police headquarters to accompany four members of the Uncen Student Executive Council (Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa, BEM), who had been summoned for questioning in connection with a peaceful protest commemorating the New York Agreement on 15 August 2026.
According to the Papua Legal Aid Institute (LBH Papua), the four BEM Uncen members attended the Jayapura City Police Headquarters on 30 September 2026 in response to police summonses related to the protest held on 15 August 2026. The questioning reportedly lasted from approximately 11.00 am to 5.10 pm. A LBH Papua lawyer accompanied the four students during the questioning.
More than a dozen other Uncen students had reportedly gathered at the police headquarters to accompany their colleagues. Available information does not clarify the precise legal basis on which the students who had merely accompanied their colleagues were questioned or their personal belongings temporarily taken.
During these events, a police officer reportedly punched MPM Uncen Chair Mr Wialo Silak in the face by a police officer. The alleged assault reportedly caused swelling and an injury around his right eye (see photo on top, source: Jubi). LBH Papua called for an objective investigation into the alleged ill-treatment of Mr Silak. Jubi sought a response from the Chief of the Jayapura City Police regarding the allegations but had received no reply at the time of publication.
Human rights analysis
The alleged assault raises concerns regarding the right to security of person and protection from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, while Article 9 protects the right to liberty and security of person. Police officers are furthermore required to exercise their powers consistently with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and accountability.
If the alleged assault on Mr Wialo Silak occurred as reported and was neither necessary nor proportionate to a legitimate law-enforcement objective, it would constitute an unlawful use of force and could amount to ill-treatment. The fact that the alleged violence reportedly occurred inside a police facility is particularly relevant to the authorities' duty to conduct a prompt, effective and impartial investigation capable of identifying those responsible and ensuring accountability.
The reported handling of students' mobile phones and identity documents also raises concerns regarding privacy and procedural safeguards. Article 17 ICCPR protects individuals against arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy and correspondence. Any police examination, search, access to, or seizure of a mobile telephone must therefore have a lawful basis and must satisfy requirements of necessity and proportionality. These safeguards are particularly important for mobile phones because they may contain extensive private communications, contacts, photographs and other personal information.
Indonesia's criminal procedural framework was substantially revised before this incident. Law No. 20 of 2025 on the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) entered into force on 2 January 2026 and replaced Law No. 8 of 1981. The new KUHAP expressly strengthens procedural rights and regulates coercive investigative measures, while the amended legislation governing the Indonesian National Police emphasises professionalism, proportionality, transparency and accountability.
The broader circumstances also raise concerns regarding the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, protected under Articles 19 and 21 ICCPR. Police questioning concerned a student protest commemorating the New York Agreement. While authorities may investigate conduct reasonably suspected of constituting a criminal offence, law-enforcement measures against students participating in or associated with peaceful political expression must not be used to intimidate participants or impose unjustified restrictions on protected expression and assembly.
Detailed case data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-141-2026
Location: Jl. Ahmad Yani No. 17, Gurabesi, Kec. Jayapura Utara, Kota Jayapura, Papua 99222, Indonesia (-2.5427941, 140.7034638) Polresta JAaapura
Region: Indonesia > Papua > Jayapura > North Jayapura
Total number of victims: 5
1. 1 Wialo Silak, diverse adult Indigenous Peoples, Student ill-treatment
2. 4, male adult Indigenous Peoples, Student freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
Period of incident: 30/09/2026-30/09/2026
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia > Indonesian Security Forces > Indonesian Police > POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polresta Jayapura
Issues: indigenous peoples, security force violence
Sources: Jubi