Yulianus Yeimo – a victim of torture in the so-called ‘Bloody Paniai Case’ – passed away on 1 April 2018 in Ipakiye Village of Paniai Regency at the age of 19 years. According to the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Desk of the Papuan Tabernacle Church (JPIC KINGMI Papua), Yulianus Yeimo showed signs of internal bleedings which he sustained as a result of torture by members of the Nabire 753 Arpita Military Battalion some years ago. After the incident, Yulianus Yeimo suffered uncontrolled nose bleedings which usually lasted more than an hour, vomited clotted blood and often fainted without clear reason. The soldiers had severely beaten him with a rifle butt to the head, kicked him with heavy military boots on the chest and cut him with a knife on the head (see image on the left).
The torture occurred on 7 December 2014 as an act of punishment because Yulianus Yeimo and three friends – at the time of the incident 14 years old – reproved a military officer for driving his motorcycle without light through in Ipakiye Village. The soldier reported the incident to his comrades who drove back to the village to punish the children. The misconduct of the military members triggered a large protest at the Karel Gobai field in Paniai on the following day. Joint security members forcefully dispersed the crowd with firearms, using live ammunition, causing the death of four high school students. 14 protesters were injured by bullets.
The case – commonly referred to as ‘Bloody Paniai Case’ or ‘Paniai Berdarah’ – is one of three cases which were identified as serious human rights violation by an ad-hoc government team under the leadership of the former Minister for internal, legal and security affairs, Mr Luhut Pandjaitan. During the 3rd cycle of Indonesia’s Universal Periodic Review in May 2017, the foreign minister of Indonesia, Mrs Retno Marsudi, stated that the case will be processed by KOMNAS HAM and the General Attorney. Until now, the case has not been processed by the general attorney’s office and none of the perpetrators have been prosecuted.
