Indonesian IT Worker Found Dead in Armenia, Foreign Ministry Sends Diplomatic Note

An Indonesian citizen from Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, Valent A Tambuto (24), was found dead in the engine room of a company’s workers’ quarters in Yerevan, Armenia. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a diplomatic note and is coordinating with Armenian authorities regarding the handling of the Indonesian national’s death.

“To ensure the fulfilment of consular rights for the Indonesian citizen, on 18 July 2026 the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Kyiv submitted a Diplomatic Note to the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” said the Director of Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Heni Hamidah, when contacted on Monday (20/7/2026).

The submission of the Diplomatic Note was carried out to obtain consular access for handling the body of the Indonesian citizen and to meet with another Indonesian national who is currently undergoing legal proceedings. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also followed up on the handling of the case with local authorities.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv, has taken handling steps and coordinated intensively with Armenian authorities regarding the case of the death of an Indonesian citizen in Yerevan, Armenia, who is suspected to have been a victim of a criminal act of murder on 15 July 2026,” said Heni.

Initially, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received information on 16 July 2026. The Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv then coordinated with the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Indonesia in Yerevan, Armenian law enforcement officials, and the local Indonesian community to verify the information. The Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv also identified the parties involved and obtained information regarding the investigation process.

Based on initial information from Armenian authorities, the victim and the suspected perpetrator are both Indonesian citizens. A number of Indonesian nationals have been detained for investigative purposes.

Furthermore, the Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv is coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies in Indonesia to verify the victim’s data and follow up on various information received, including communication from a party claiming to be a family member of one of the Indonesian nationals currently being handled by Armenian authorities.

“The Indonesian Embassy in Kyiv will continue to follow up on the case developments, coordinate with local authorities, and provide consular assistance in accordance with Armenian law,” he said.

The victim, Valenth A Tambuto (24), a resident of Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, was found dead in the engine room of a company’s workers’ quarters in Yerevan, Armenia. The victim was found with his feet, hands, and mouth bound with duct tape.

News of Valenth’s death was first received by his family on Wednesday evening (15/7/2026). The victim’s younger brother, Arnold Tambuto, said he had still been in communication with his brother a few hours before receiving the tragic news.

“It is true that my brother died in Armenia. He worked there in IT at an IT consulting firm,” Arnold Tambuto told reporters, as reported by detikSulsel on Sunday (19/7).

Arnold said the last communication with the victim occurred in the early hours of Wednesday (15/7), around 01.00 WITA, or Tuesday (14/7) evening Armenia time. After that, the victim could no longer be contacted via phone chat applications.

The family only learned of the victim’s death after receiving news from their uncle that evening. The information originated from the victim’s girlfriend, named Tati, who is in the Philippines and became suspicious because she could not contact Valenth all day.

Based on information received by the family, the victim was found in a terrible condition. However, the family is still awaiting official information from Armenian authorities regarding the exact cause of the victim’s death.

“The condition of the body when it was found was reportedly bound with duct tape. The feet, hands, and mouth were bound with duct tape. At the time, I was in shock and turned off my phone so I didn’t hear any more, but the information I heard was that when they opened the body, there was a lot of blood,” Arnold revealed.