On 7 December 2025, at approximately 10:40 am, police officers forcibly detained indigenous environmental and land-rights defender, Mr Stenly Dambujai, outside the Divine Mercy (Kerahiman Ilahi) Church in Mangga Dua, Kelapa Lima Village, Merauke Regency, South Papua province (see photos, source: LBH Merauke). The detention reportedly followed a peaceful, symbolic protest criticising the Archbishop of Merauke's public support for the National Strategic Project (PSN) in Merauke, which threatens customary land and forests.
After the Sunday Mass concluded, Mr Dambujai unfurled a protest poster outside the church grounds. Reports indicate that church council representatives and legal advocates argued with him and subsequently contacted police. Thereupon, police officers took him to the Merauke Police Station (Polres Merauke) for questioning. Legal aid advocates stated that Mr Dambujai was pressured to sign a written statement committing not to hold further protests in front of churches, and that his request to wait for legal counsel before giving a statement was ignored.
According to the Merauke Legal Aid Institute (LBH Merauke), the detention was arbitrary and appears linked to a wider pattern of restricting peaceful civic expression by Catholic lay communities opposing the PSN. LBH Merauke stated that Mr Dambujai had carried out similar actions dozens of times previously without being questioned, and that this incident therefore signals a targeted escalation. A separate report citing LBH Merauke indicated the alleged basis for police involvement was a complaint connected to the chair of the parish council, named as Yohanes P. Weng, and an advocate named Hendrikus Timotius Talubun.
Human rights analysis
If confirmed, the reported conduct raises serious concerns regarding freedom of expression and peaceful assembly as enshrined in Articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The arbitrary nature of the (i) detention without a clear legal basis, (ii) pressure to sign a non-protest undertaking, and (iii) interference with the right to legal assistance during questioning violates Article 9 ICCPR, which establishes safeguards against arbitrary detention. Such measures, particularly when triggered by a non-violent, symbolic protest, risk creating a chilling effect on civic participation and legitimate dissent, especially for indigenous communities affected by land and environmental policies. The incident also intersects with the protection of human rights defenders and environmental defenders, particularly where advocacy concerns alleged impacts of large-scale projects on indigenous land.
Detailed case data
Location: Jl. Bahari, Maro, Kec. Merauke, Kabupaten Merauke, Papua Selatan 99614, Indonesia (-8.483057, 140.3986118) Gereja Katolik Stasi Kerahiman Ilahi, Bahari Maro
Region: Indonesia, South Papua, Merauke, Merauke
Total number of victims: 1
Stenly Dambujai: male adult Activist, Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression
Period of incident: 07/01/2026-07/01/2026
Perpetrator: POLRES
Perpetrator details: Polres Merauke
Issues: business, human rights and FPIC, indigenous peoples