Mr Samson Same, a displaced Papuan man from Kisor Village, died in custody on 9 July 2025 at the Class IIB Sorong Prison (see photo, source: Jubi), Papua Barat Daya Province.
He had surrendered voluntarily to the Indonesian government on 25 April 2024, following assurances from the Aifat Selatan District Government and the Indonesian military that internally displaced persons (IDPs) would be protected. Instead of receiving the promised safeguards, Mr Same was arrested, prosecuted over his alleged involvement in the 2 September 2021 Kisor military post attack, and ultimately died during detention from a respiratory illness that was allegedly left untreated. His family and human rights advocates hold the Maybrat Regency Government accountable for his death, citing neglect, denial of medical care, and a broken promise of protection.
On 25 April 2024, Mr Samson Same surrendered himself to the Aifat Selatan District Government, responding to calls for reconciliation and reintegration from state officials and military actors. He was one of thousands of IDPs who fled into the forest following military operations in Maybrat Regency. His return was facilitated through his family, who had received verbal assurances that the returnees would be protected.
Following his return, Mr Same was arrested. The authorities alleged that he was involved in the 2021 Kisor military post attack. He was then transferred to the Papua Barat Regional Police Headquarters and later to the Sorong Prosecutor's Office. During his prolonged detention at Sorong Class IIB Prison, he reportedly became seriously ill and died on 9 July 2025. The prison head, Mr Sukarna Trisna Armaja, confirmed that Same had a history of pneumonia and asthma, but noted that due to the lack of medical infrastructure in the prison, treatment was delayed and insufficient.
This case underscores the critical need for improved oversight of detention conditions in Papua and a re-evaluation of state approaches to conflict resolution that prioritise repression over reconciliation. The failure to uphold promises of protection erodes public trust and perpetuates a cycle of fear in the region.
Human rights analysis
The case constitutes a serious violation of multiple human rights norms. Mr Same's death in custody raises critical concerns under Article 9 (right to liberty and security) and Article 10 (humane treatment of detainees) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a party. It also contravenes Indonesian Law No. 12/1995 on Corrections, which mandates the state to provide adequate medical care for detainees, and Law No. 39/1999 on Human Rights, which affirms the state's responsibility to protect all citizens' health and well-being in detention.
Moreover, Indonesia's obligations under the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, ratified through Law No. 5 of 1998, require the state to prevent and respond to inhumane treatment of detainees. The failure to provide timely and adequate healthcare, particularly after explicit state promises of protection, amounts to cruel and degrading treatment and may also reflect systemic neglect within the prison system.
The state's actions following Same's surrender reflect a pattern of breach of trust and coercive state conduct, undermining principles of voluntary reintegration and reconciliation in post-conflict regions. The practice of immediately prosecuting individuals upon return to their village after being promised protection amounts to arbitrary arrest and violates the principle of good faith under domestic and international human rights law.