On 14 April 2026, a police officer shot dead 16-year-old Elki Wunungga in Mairini Village, Bokondini District, Tolikara Regency, Papua Highlands Province. The incident occurred during a violent confrontation between mourners at a funeral. The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the right side of his body and died at the scene. The alleged perpetrator is a member of the Bokondini Police Station (Polsek Bokondini), reportedly the Deputy Chief. The case raises serious concerns regarding excessive use of force, unlawful killing, and obstruction of justice.
The incident took place during the funeral of the late Demius Penggu in Mairini Village. Tensions arose when different family groups arrived and engaged in disputes, which escalated into a stone-throwing clash lasting approximately 30 minutes. Church representatives attempted to intervene by forming a human barrier to stop the violence.
At around 2:00 pm, six police officers from the Bokondini Police Station arrived. Despite attempts at crowd control, the situation remained volatile. Police reportedly fired warning shots, but these failed to disperse the crowd. According to eyewitness accounts, one officer then discharged his firearm directly into the crowd at close range, striking Elki Wunungga while he was holding a stone.
The victim collapsed immediately. Witnesses reported that the officer attempted to deflect responsibility by accusing another officer and inciting residents to pursue him. However, community members identified the shooter and assaulted him. The firearm used in the shooting was temporarily secured by residents before being returned to the police on 15 April 2026 in the presence of community and church leaders.
Following the shooting, police officers allegedly misled the victim's family, claiming that Elki had been killed by a spear rather than a gunshot. Due to limited medical capacity in Bokondini, the body was transferred to Wamena General Hospital, where an X-ray and autopsy confirmed the presence of a bullet projectile in the victim's body. The autopsy, conducted over approximately eight hours, resulted in the recovery of the projectile, which was handed to the family (see photos below, source: YKKMP).
On 16 April 2026, the victim was buried in Jawalani Village. Subsequent investigations by the Papua Foundation for Justice and Human Integrity (YKKMP) documented multiple pieces of evidence, including bullet casings and the projectile. A mediation meeting on 18 April 2026 addressed customary law obligations, while the victim's family formally requested criminal prosecution under Indonesian law.
Human rights analysis
The fatal shooting of Elki Wunungga constitutes a prima facie violation of the right to life, as protected under Article 6 the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and other treaties. Under applicable standards, including the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, lethal force may only be used when strictly unavoidable to protect life. The available evidence suggests that the victim was unarmed in terms of lethal capability and that the use of live ammunition against a civilian minor engaged in a stone-throwing clash was neither necessary nor proportionate.
Furthermore, the alleged attempt by police officers to misrepresent the cause of death may amount to obstruction of justice and a failure to ensure prompt, impartial, and effective investigation, as required under international standards. The subsequent need for the family and civil society actors to secure evidence independently highlights structural deficiencies in accountability mechanisms.
The case also engages the rights of the child, given the victim's age of 16 years, requiring heightened protection under international law. The involvement of state agents in the unlawful killing of a minor may constitute an aggravated violation requiring enhanced scrutiny and accountability.
Detailed case data
Document ID: HRM-CAS-057-2026
Region: Indonesia, Highland Papua, Tolikara, Bokondini
Total number of victims: 1
1. Elki Wunungga, male 16 Indigenous Peoples right to life, unlawful killing
Period of incident: 14/04/2026-14/04/2026
Perpetrator: Republic Indonesia, Indonesian Security Forces, Indonesian Police, POLSEK
Perpetrator details: Kapolsek Bokondini
Issues: indigenous peoples, security force violence, women and children