On 9 December 2025, at approximately 10:00 pm, Mr Natan Matuan and Mr Selis Pahabol were arbitrarily arrested in Jalur 3 settlement, Dekai District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Pegunungan province.
They were reportedly detained at the Yahukimo District Police Station Polres Yahukimo) without being informed of the reasons for their arrest. Both were allegedly subjected to torture during interrogation involving beatings while their hands and feet were tied. Mr Selis Pahabol was released on 10 December 2025, at 9:00 pm, while Mr Natan Matuan reportedly remained in custody.
Human rights analysis
Arresting individuals without promptly informing them of the reasons and transferring them to a police station without clear legal grounds raises a strong presumption of arbitrariness. Where arrests are conducted without transparency, documentation (warrants/records), and meaningful access to counsel and family, the risk of abuse and coercion increases sharply.
Moreover, binding hands and feet while beating suspects during interrogation meets the threshold of torture, depending on severity, intent (e.g., to punish, intimidate, or obtain information/confessions), and official involvement. Such acts are absolutely prohibited under the International Covenant against Torture (CAT) and cannot be justified by suspicion of any offence.
Detailed case data
Location: Dekai, Yahukimo regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia (-4.8638158, 139.4837298) Jalur 3 settlement, Dekai District
Region: Indonesia, Highland Papua, Yahukimo, Dekai
Total number of victims: 2
1. Natan Matuan: male adult Indigenous Peoples arbitrary arrest, torture
2. Selis Pahabol: male adult Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention, torture
Period of incident: 09/12/2025-09/01/2026
Perpetrator details: Polres Yahukimo Members
Issues: indigenous peoples