Three police officer have allegedly tortured a 15 year old boy named Alberth Nawipa on 16 June 2017 at Potikelek Market in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency. According to local human rights defenders, the officers hit Alberth Nawipa with bare hands, wooden and rubber batons on the head, back and stomach. The officers repeatedly punched him in the face. Then Alberth was threatened at knife point to be quiet and squat down while three officers collectively beat him with a rubber baton to the back and the head. One officer burned Alberth’s back with his cigarette. Subsequently, the officers forced Alberth to clean up the police post at Potikelek Market while punching and kicking him to the upper body and the legs. According to a local police spokes man, police officers had arrested Alberth because he had allegedly thrown a rock at the Potikelek police post.
In the evening a relative saw Alberth Nawipa at the police post and accompanied him home to his parent’s house. Around 10.30 pm Alberth Nawipa felt a strong dizziness. Subsequently, he had to vomit, his nose began to bleed and he developed a swelling under his left eye. Alberth’s parents immediately brought him to the Jayawijaya General Hospital in Wamena, where he had to be hospitalized and treated at the emergency room. He remained in medical observation due to the nose bleeding which continued until the following day, 11.00 am. Alberth was also unable to lie on his back for several days due to the heavy bruises he sustained during the police torture. Furthermore, he was unable to subscribe to senior high school because he had to remain in hospital for medical observation.
