On 2 March 2026 at approximately 11:00 pm, joint security force personnel conducted a search operation in the Telkomsel housing complex in Duram District, Yahukimo Regency, Highlands Papua province. During the operation, officers arbitrarily detained 15-year-old Setir Wed and Mr Dinis Wed, 21, while they were escaping from the security operation. Both youth are residents of Duram District. After several hours of detention, they were released on 3 March 2026, in the afternoon.
According to the information received, the joint security operation was triggered by a report alleging that members of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) were storing weapons and residing in a house within the Telkomsel housing complex. Security personnel reportedly arrived at the suspected location and fired three warning shots, creating panic in the surrounding residential area. Hearing the shots, Setir Wed and Mr Dinis Wed fled into nearby forested areas, reportedly out of fear. Security forces subsequently pursued and apprehended them.
The two detainees were taken into custody for questioning. Both detainees were eventually released on 3 March 2026 at 3:50 pm. No formal charges were reportedly filed, and there was no publicly disclosed evidence linking the two civilians to armed group activities or possession of weapons.
Human rights analysis
From a human rights perspective, the incident raises serious concerns regarding arbitrary detention forbidden under Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICRC) on the right to liberty and security of person, and the protection of minors during law-enforcement activities. The firing of warning shots at night in a populated settlement may constitute disproportionate use of force, particularly where no imminent threat was clearly identified. The detention of persons based solely on proximity to a suspected location, without individualized suspicion or evidence, appears inconsistent with due process guarantees under domestic and international law.
The detention of Setir Wed, a minor, also engages heightened protection standards as enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Security forces are required to treat minors in conflict-affected areas in accordance with child protection norms, including safeguards against arbitrary deprivation of liberty and exposure to violence or intimidation.
Detailed case data
Location: Duram, Yahukimo regency, Highland Papua, Indonesia (-4.511476, 139.5483671)Region: Indonesia, Highland Papua, Yahukimo, Duram
Total number of victims: 2
1. Setir Wed, male 15 Indigenous Peoples, Student arbitrary detention
2. Dinis Wed, male 21 Indigenous Peoples arbitrary detention
Period of incident: 02/03/2026-02/03/2026
Perpetrator: Indonesian Security Forces
Issues: indigenous peoples, women and children