Melvin Yobe aka Malvin was one of the 'Jayapura Eight' student activists who were arrested by the authorities on 1st of December for displaying the Morning Star symbol in front of the Jayapura sports centre building. Malvin was arrested along with fellow students Melvin Fernando Waine, Devio Tekege, Ambros Fransiskus Elopere, Maksimus Simon Petrus You, Yosep Ernesto Matuan, Luis Kitok Uropmabin and Zode Hilapok. On 2nd of December Yobe and his peers were all charged with treason and they were all detained from 1st of December 2021 until September 2022. Malvin was sick during the course of the detention and was receiving treatment while waiting for their trial.

The first trial took place on 4th of March 2022 for the indictment hearing from the Public Prosecutors. They were charged with Article 106 joint Article 55 Paragraph (1) point 1 and Article 110 paragraph (1) of the Indonesian Criminal Code. The trial process were on hold briefly due to the health conditions of Malvin and another suspect, Zode Hilapok who had contracted COVID and had complications. On 11th of August, the Prosecutor read the demands of one year imprisonment for the “Jayapura Eight suspects” for violating Article 106 joint Article 55 Paragraph (1) point 1 of the Indonesian Criminal Code i.e. treason. The one year sentence included time that had already been served by the treason defendants during detention. The defence counsel appealed Prosecutor’s demand by stating that there was no absolute proof that the defendants had committed treason.

On 29 of August Malvin along with 6 other defendants were sentenced to 10 months in prison. Melvin Fernando Waine, Devio Tekege, Ambros Fransiskus Elopere, Maksimus Simon Petrus You, Yosep Ernesto Matuan and Luis Kitok Uropmabin were all released on 27th of September 2022. Currently, only Zode Hilapok who has yet to stand in trial due to his health treatment at the hospital.