Human rights defenders in the Jayawijaya Regency have reported a series of arrests between 25 and 26 August 2018. According to the received informantion, members of the Jayawijaya District Police arrested eight people, one of them a Polish citizen named Jakub Fabian Skrzypski (39). Mr Skrzypski and three Papuan men were arrested on 25 August 2018 around 12.20 pm at the Napua Military Post in Wamena. Subsequently, they were interrogated at the Jayawijaya District Police Station and later released at 02.00 pm.
On 26 August 2018 at 09.10 am, police officers again arrested Naftali Wasahe and Edward Wandik together with two Papuan senior high school students at the Potikelek Market in Wamena. Jakub Fabian Skrzypski was arrested in his Hotel in Wamena. On the same day, members of the Jayawijaya District Police conducted two further arrests in the nearby city of Elelim, in the Yalimo Regency. Alex Wasahe and Yohanis Wandik were arrested at 08.20 pm and brought to the Jayawijaya district police station in Wamena for further interrogation. According to local informants, the police had allegedly found amunition in possesion of some of the arrestees.
On 27 August at 10.00 am, police officers transferred Jakub Fabian Skrzypski to Jayapura. The Association of Human Rights Lawyers for Papua (PAHAM Papua) stated he is being held in an inadequately ventilated cell, given poor food and hasn’t been able to contact family or change his clothes. The police suspects that Mr. Skrzypski is a journalist who had established contact with members of the armed resistance in Wamena. Indonesian authorities stated that he may be charged for the violation of immigration law because he entered Indonesia with a tourist visa instead of a journalist visa. Gustaf Kawer – a Papuan human rights lawyer who visited Jakub Skrzypski in his detention cell in Jayapura – stated that Mr Skrzypski was visiting Papua as a tourist.
Table of arrests between 25 and 26 August in the regencies of Jayawijaya and Yalimo
|
Nr |
Name |
Date & time of arrest |
Place of arrest |
Additional Information |
|
1 |
Naftali Wasahe | 25.08.2018, 12:20 pm | Pos TNI Napua Wamena | Head of village, arrested on the way to Habema Lake, released at 02:00 pm |
| 26.08.2018, 09.10 am | Potikelek market in Wamena | Taken into custody; on 27.08.2018, 10.00 am transferred from Jayawijaya district police station to Jayapura | ||
|
2 |
Edward Wandik | 25.08.2018, 12:20 pm | Pos TNI Napua Wamena | Student, arrested on the way to Habema Lake, released at 02:00 pm |
| 26.08.2018, 09.10 am | Potikelek market in Wamena | – | ||
|
3 |
Jakub Fabian Skrzypski | 25.08.2018, 12:20 pm | Pos TNI Napua Wamena | Polish tourist, arrested on the way to Habema Lake, released at 02:00 pm |
| 26.08.2018, | Hotel in Wamena | Taken into custody; on 27.08.2018, 10.00 am transferred from Jayawijaya district police station to Jayapura | ||
|
4 |
Habel Wilil | 25.08.2018, 12:20 pm | Pos TNI Napua Wamena | Arrested on the way to Habema Lake, released at 02:00 pm |
|
5 |
Alfons Hisage | 26.08.2018, 09.10 am | Potikelek market in Wamena | Senior high school student |
|
6 |
Linus Wandik | 26.08.2018, 09.10 am | Potikelek market in Wamena | Senior high school student |
|
7 |
Alex Wasahe | 26.08.2018, 08.20 pm | Elelim, Yalimo Regency | Take into custody and transferred to police station in Wamena |
|
8 |
Yohanis Wandik | 26.08.2018, 08.20 pm | Elelim, Yalimo Regency | Take into custody and transferred to police station in Wamena |
