Indonesia, West Papua – On 12 June 2025, at approximately 11:20 am, 27-year-old Papuan, Mr Agibagi Tabuni, (see photo on top, source: independent HRD) was shot dead by members of the Indonesian National Army (TNI) near State Senior High School I (SMAN 1) Sinak, in the Gigobak Village, Sinak District, Puncak Regency, Papua Tengah Province. Mr Tabuni was a civilian and not affiliated with any armed group. He was on his way to attend a communal event at the invitation of Puncak Regent, Mr Elvis Tabuni, when he was reportedly ambushed and killed by military personnel reportedly lying in wait.
According to family members, Mr Tabuni had departed from his home in the morning and was en route to the neighbouring Gigobak District when he was ambushed and fatally shot near SMAN 1 Sinak. Following the incident, the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) published a statement according to which the deceased had no affiliation with the armed group.
Legal analysis
The incident follows a pattern of targeted killings and extrajudicial executions by Indonesian security forces in the West Papua highlands, often carried out with impunity and under the pretext of counterinsurgency operations. The deliberate killing of an unarmed civilian constitutes a grave violation of the right to life, enshrined under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State party. The use of lethal force in this context is arbitrary, disproportionate, and violates basic principles of necessity and distinction under international humanitarian law, given the absence of direct hostilities or combatant status.
This case further underscores the urgent need for independent investigations into alleged human rights abuses by Indonesian security forces in West Papua. Domestic accountability mechanisms have repeatedly failed to deliver justice, fostering a climate of systemic impunity. Human rights observers have been calling for access for international journalists and human rights observers to monitor the armed conflict in the region, which has significantly deteriorated over the past months due to ongoing military operations.
Source: https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/military-members-accused-of-killing-civilian-in-puncak-regency