On 5 August 2025, members of the Yahukimo Military District Command (Koramil) arbitrarily detained Mr Son Balingga (see photo on top, source: independent HRDs) at the rear complex of the Koramil Yahukimo. At the time of his arrest, Mr Balingga was accompanied by his friend and had stopped to refuel his motorcycle.
The arrest followed an incident involving an unidentified armed individual, suspected to be a member of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB), who threatened a petrol seller. Despite having no connection to the incident or the perpetrator, Mr Balingga was accused of being a TPNPB member and forcibly taken into custody. Relatives have been unable to locate him through official channels.
On 5 August, at 03:30 pm, Mr Son Balingga and his friend were riding together on a motorcycle. They stopped at a roadside petrol stall behind the Yahukimo Koramil to refuel, as they were on their way to the city but had run out of fuel. While they were refuelling, a young man approached on foot and pointed a pistol at the head of the petrol seller. The seller struck the assailant's hand, causing the weapon to fall. A scuffle ensued, during which the assailant, suspected of being a TPNPB member, struck the petrol seller on the head before fleeing towards the Buru River.
In the immediate aftermath, the petrol seller, who was a TNI soldier, accused Mr Balingga and his friend of being TPNPB members. While the friend escaped, Mr Balingga was restrained. At 03:40 pm, TNI members from the Koramil arrived at the site and took Mr Son Balingga into custody, transferring him to the Kormail at 4:00 pm. Multiple eyewitnesses, including his friend and residents, confirmed that Mr Balingga had no involvement with the assailant and was merely refuelling his motorcycle as the incident unfolded. He was later transferred to the Yahukimo District Police headquarters (Polres Yahukimo), where he remained in custody as of 14 August 2025.
Human rights analysis
The arrest of Mr Son Balingga constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of liberty, violating Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State Party. The lack of a warrant, the absence of due process, and the absence of any credible evidence linking him to the armed assailant underscore the unlawful nature of the arrest. Detaining Mr Balingga without charge and withholding information from his family violates the right to be informed of the reasons for arrest and the right to communicate with legal counsel and family members, protected under international human rights law. Such actions may amount to enforced disappearance if the authorities continue to conceal Mr Balingga's whereabouts and legal status.
Detailed case data
Location: 4FVV+7F, Kuaserama, Dekai, Yahukimo regency, Papua, Indonesia (-4.8567624, 139.4937361) Koramil Yahukimo
Region: Indonesia, Highland Papua, Yahukimo, Dekai
Total number of victims: 1
Son Balingga
male adult Indigenous Peoples
Period of incident: 05/08/2025-05/08/2025
Perpetrator: Indonesian Military (TNI)
Perpetrator details: Koramil Yahukimo members
Issues: indigenous peoples