How Riots and a Fire Broke Out at Merauke Prison

Merauke Class IIB Prison in South Papua has taken steps to deal with unrest and a fire that broke out at the facility on Friday (9 October 2026).

Prison officials have also coordinated with the local government, fire service, Indonesian military and police for further action, said Sutarno, head of the Papua regional office of the Directorate General of Corrections, in a statement received in Jayapura on Saturday (10 October 2026).

According to Sutarno, the incident began on Thursday (8 October), when the head of prison security and his staff informed inmates in their cellblocks about enforcement measures targeting illegal mobile phones, narcotics and other prohibited items.

“The inmates rejected the instructions and gathered on Friday (9 October), causing the situation to become unstable. Stones were thrown and inmates started a fire from the registration room, which then spread to the kitchen area and its surroundings,” he said.

Prison staff immediately attempted to put out the fire using portable fire extinguishers. Inmates were also evacuated to safe and secured areas in line with disaster-response standard operating procedures.

The Papua regional office of the Directorate General of Corrections subsequently monitored the situation and coordinated with Merauke Prison officials and the local regional leadership coordination forum, Sutarno said.

Security personnel are ensuring that the post-incident response is swift, measured and coordinated, and complies with applicable rules. They have inspected the cellblocks and spoken with inmate representatives.

The aim is to prevent further escalation, restore security and order, and ensure the continued provision of prison services and rehabilitation programmes, he said.

The Papua corrections office will continue to coordinate, monitor and assess developments at Merauke Prison.

According to the corrections database, the prison held 564 people as of 8 October 2026. The situation has now been brought under control, and inmate representatives have pledged to help maintain safety, order and calm in their respective cellblocks.