MOROWALI- Following the arrest of environmental activist Arlan Dahrin which later escalated into the burning of the office of PT Raihan Catur Putra (RCP) the Morowali Police Resort (Polres Morowali) has once again carried out a forcible arrest. On Sunday, January 4, 2026, police arrested Royman M. Hamid, a journalist known for practicing advocacy journalism and for frequently accompanying agrarian conflict cases in Morowali.
According to statements from several local residents who witnessed the arrest, the incident began when a large number of police officers arrived at the home of a Torete resident named Asdin, who is the older brother of activist Arlan Dahrin.
“The police arrival was accompanied by the sound of consecutive gunshots,” said Firna M. Hamid. “I was at Mr. Jufri
Jafar’s house and immediately went to Asdin’s house. A woman commonly known as Ibu Lina, also called Mama Arwan, was threatened with a firearm while being questioned about the whereabouts of Royman M. Hamid.”
At that time, it was directly explained that Royman M. Hamid was at the house of Jufri, located not far from Asdin’s residence. After receiving this information, a number of police officers went to Jufri’s house, led by the Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit (Kasatreskrim) of Polres Morowali.
Based on a video circulating publicly, the Head of Criminal Investigation arrived with several police officers in full uniform and armed, while others were in plain clothes. The Kasatreskrim then sat on a chair in front of Jufri’s house, facing Royman M. Hamid.
The Kasatreskrim stated that he had come with complete administrative documents. In response, Royman M. Hamid requested permission to document the arrest warrant or administrative documents related to his arrest, arguing that he had the right to know the legal basis for the action taken against him.
However, the Kasatreskrim refused to allow the arrest documents to be documented. Shortly thereafter, a forcible arrest took place, during which Royman M. Hamid was restrained by the neck and arms before being taken to a police vehicle by several officers.
Based on circulating videos and eyewitness accounts at the scene, many community members expressed regret over the arrests of Royman M. Hamid and Arlan Dahrin, which were perceived as resembling the treatment of terrorists. This sentiment arose despite the fact that both individuals are widely known for consistently advocating for and accompanying the aspirations of local communities.
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