On 31 July 2025, the Nabire City Police arrested Mr. Deki Widigipa, 24, a member of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB), at A. Gobay Road, Karang Tumaritis Market, Nabire, at 11:00 am. The officers accused him of robbery and motor vehicle theft.
Despite these allegations, Mr. Widigipa denied involvement in any such crimes, asserting that he had lawfully purchased the motorcycle from an unidentified man for Rp. 4,000,000 (about 220). Since his arrest, he has been detained at the Nabire City Police Station for 11 days without access to legal counsel, raising serious concerns of arbitrary detention and denial of due process.
According to accounts from his relatives, the arrest occurred while Mr. Widigipa was in the market area. Police officers apprehended him without presenting a warrant or providing a clear explanation of the charges against him. He was taken directly to the Nabire City Police Station, where he has remained in custody. No formal charges have been brought before a court, and no lawyer has been allowed to assist him during interrogations or detention. The family reports that they were informed informally about the accusations, without any official letter being provided.
The case reflects a broader pattern of targeted arrests of KNPB activists across West Papua, where peaceful political activists are frequently accused of criminal offences unrelated to their political activities as a means to criminalise members and delegitimise their non-violent activism. The prolonged detention without access to legal representation contravenes Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantees the right to liberty and security of a person, and Article 14, which ensures the right to a fair trial. Indonesia, as a State party to the ICCPR, is under a binding obligation to respect and protect these rights.
Detailed case data
Location: JG94+H25, Karang Tumaritis, Pertama, Nabire Regency, Papua 98811, Indonesia (-3.3811745, 135.5049817) Jalan A. Gobay, Karang Tumaritis Market, Nabire
Region: Indonesia, Central Papua, Nabire, Nabire
Total number of victims: 1
# Number of Victims Name, Details Gender Age Group Affiliation Violations
1. 1 Deki Widigipa
male 24 Activist, Indigenous Peoples
Period of incident: 31/07/2025-11/08/2025
Perpetrator:, POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polresta Nabire
Issues: indigenous peoples
Source: https://humanrightsmonitor.org/case/prolonged-arbitrary-detention-without-legal-assistance-in-nabire