On 3 October 2025, Indonesian military personnel reportedly detained Mr Agustinus Tipagau, 22, in Timika City, at around 11:00 am (see photo on top, source: independent HRD). According to the information received, Mr Tipagau originates from Yoparu Village in Intan Jaya Regency and had travelled with family members to Timika to attend a mourning ceremony following the death of a relative.
According to witnesses, the arrest occurred without a warrant or clear legal grounds. Military personnel approached Mr Tipagau while he was attending the event and accused him of being affiliated with the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) based solely on his physical appearance, specifically his dreadlocks and a necklace bearing the Morning Star motif, a culturally important symbol among many Papuans that is also used by the independence movement. The arrest was allegedly accompanied by acts of physical violence before the victim was taken into custody.
Human rights organisations and the victim's family have demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Agustinus Tipagau and urged authorities to hold military personnel involved in the assault and unlawful detention accountable.
Human rights analysis
The incident forms part of a wider pattern of racial profiling and criminalisation of Indigenous Papuans, where cultural identity markers are wrongly interpreted as indicators of separatist affiliation. Such acts constitute violations of Articles 9 and 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), guaranteeing the right to liberty and protection from arbitrary arrest or detention, and Article 7, which prohibits cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.