Jayapura, Jubi – The Yahukimo regency District Police (Polres) in Papua Highlands province released four activists from the Yahukimo regional West Papua National Committee (KNPB) on Monday afternoon July 14. The four KNPB activists underwent questioning and had been detained at the Yahukimo District Police (Polres) station since Sunday July 13.
Yahukimo District Police chief Assistant Superintendent Zet Zaalino stated that after conducting an in-depth investigation into alleged unlawful acts, no evidence was found that the four men had committed any unlawful acts so they were sent home.
"From the results of the investigation, there is no evidence to support them being the perpetrators of a crime or committing an unlawful act, and therefore they must be released", said Zaalino in a text message sent to Jubi on Monday.
KNPB Yahukimo Regional Secretary Nifal Enggalim confirmed that four of his colleagues had been released by the police. "The four KNPB activists from the Yahukimo region have been released but were physically injured", said Enggalim by phone.
According to Enggalim, two of them suffered serious injuries, making it difficult for one of them to eat, and the other two suffered minor injuries.
He said that based on statements by the four activists, they were assaulted after being arrested and on their way to the Sub-District Military Command (Koramil) on Saturday July 12.
"[They said that] they were beaten black and blue there (at Koramil). This is the face of colonialism: they were arrested at home in good health, but released physically injured. The four KNPB activists have been released", he said.
However they are grateful that the four KNPB activists have now been released. Enggalim thanked everyone who had provided attention and concern leading to his friends' release.
Enggalim said that earlier on Saturday his four colleagues were arrested by security forces at the KNPB Yahukimo Secretariat. The four KNPB activists arrested were regional Yahukimo KNBB Chairperson I Sinduk E Kobak and Yahukimo KNPB activists Deko Kobak, Jek Amosoho and Rinox Illinggi.
"The TNI [Indonesian Military] and Polri [Indonesian Police] raided the KNPB Secretariat, then damaged cooking utensils, the door and the KNPB treasurer's car and three cell phones", said Enggalim.
Yahukimo District Police chief Assistant Superintendent Zet Zaalino said that the arrests were made on Sunday at around 5 am local time by the commander of the Republic of Indonesia-Papua New Guinea Border Security Task Force (Satgas Pamtas) from the Indonesian Navy Marine Battalion.
"(The Satgas Pamtas commander) and his officers arrived at the Yahukimo Polres with four people to be questioned at the Polres. Before the Polres members accepted them, I ordered that the four people be taken to the RSUD [Regional General Hospital] for their heath to be checked. After that, they were brought back to Polres for questioning", said Zaalino.
According to Zaalino the four were secured by Satgas Pamtas officers while they were carrying out a patrol in Dekai city, the capital of Yahukimo regency. The police chief give assurances that the four did not experience any violence while they were being detained at Polres because the police are obligated to protect, serve and enforce the law.
"So, it was just limed to asking for information in order to find out whether they were involved in a criminal act or not", he said.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Polres Yahukimo Bebaskan Empat Aktivis KNPB".]
Source: https://jubi.id/polhukam/2025/polres-yahukimo-bebaskan-empat-aktivis-knpb/
