On 27 August 2025, 22-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Maikel Welerubun was shot by security forces during a demonstration in Sorong City, Southwest Papua Province, protesting the transfer of four Papuan political prisoners from Sorong to Makassar.
The incident occurred on Jalan Jenderal Sudirman, where police and military forces used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse demonstrators. Mr Welerubun happened to be near the rally but was not part of the protest. He was reportedly hit by a live round that penetrated his left arm, intestines, spleen, and lungs, causing severe internal injuries. Following the shooting, he underwent major surgery at Sele Be Solu Regional General Hospital (RSUD Sorong). On 7 September 2025, he was transferred to another hospital in Manado, North Sulawesi Province, for further treatment.
The protest began peacefully in front of the Sorong City Police Headquarters, with demonstrators opposing the transfer of four political prisoners arrested in April 2025 on charges of treason after calling for peace talks in Sorong. The protest escalated after police used force, including tear gas and alleged live ammunition, to disperse the crowd. Chaos ensued, with reports of burning tyres, property damage, and violent clashes. During the unrest, Mr. Welerubun was passing by the Sorong Manoi District Office to check the conditions before going to work. He was shot and immediately evacuated to the Malawei Health Centre and then referred to RSUD Sele Be Solu. His family reported that the bullet caused extensive organ damage, requiring the removal of his spleen and part of his intestines (see phortos below, source: independent HRDs).
The Papuan Human Rights Advocates Coalition and the West Papua People's Assembly (MRP) have since urged the West Papua Regional Police (Polda Papua Barat) and Sorong City Police (Polresta Sorong) to conduct a transparent investigation. Mr Welerubun's relatives have filed a police report and demanded a ballistic examination to determine the type and source of the bullet. Despite these demands, police officials have not provided further information about the projectile, while TNI Commander Brig. Gen. Totok Sutriono claimed that "no live ammunition was used."
Human rights & legal analysis
The shooting of Mr Maikel Welerubun raises grave concerns regarding excessive use of force, failure to distinguish between bystanders and protestors, and violations of the right to life and security of person, as guaranteed under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Indonesia is a State Party. The use of potentially lethal force against unarmed civilians and peaceful demonstrators contravenes the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which require that firearms be used only as a last resort to protect life.
Moreover, the transfer of the four political prisoners to Makassar, far from their families, legal counsel, and community, breaches Article 85 of Indonesia's Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), which stipulates that trials should be held in the jurisdiction where the alleged crime occurred. This transfer and the ensuing violence highlight broader structural issues of impunity and suppression of peaceful political expression in West Papua.
The incident exemplifies the persistent climate of militarisation and impunity in West Papua, where peaceful dissent is often met with disproportionate violence. Without independent oversight and justice for victims like Maikel Welerubun, confidence in law enforcement and the rule of law in the region will continue to erode.