Police and marine personnel reportedly arbitrarily arrested and tortured four KNPB Yahukimo activists. The arrests were made on 12 July, between 10.30pm and 11.30pm, at the KNPB Yahukimo secretariat. In addition to arresting the four people, the joint forces also ransacked the secretariat. They were only released on 14 July, badly beaten and seriously injured.

After their arrest, the four KNPB members were not taken to the police station but to the military district command first. During the journey, they were beaten so badly that two of them urinated in their pants. Upon arrival at the military command post, they were kicked off the truck. At the military command post, the four activists were submerged in drums of water while being beaten from midnight until dawn. They were forced to admit that they were members of the TPNPB. Towards morning, they were transferred to the Yahukimo Police detention centre.

At the police station, the four were again tortured by soldiers and police. Marines reportedly burned the activists' beards and hair. The police chief ordered that the activists be taken to hospital for treatment. However, marines again intervened with hospital staff, instructing them to only stitch up the wounds and clean the blood without providing any treatment. According to the report we received, as a result of the torture, Deko was unable to eat because his chin was torn; Jek suffered a wound to the left side of his head that had to be stitched; Sinduk and Ronald were tortured to the point that they could not stand.

After leaving the hospital, they were again questioned by the police from dawn until nightfall, but the police found no criminal cases against them.