Media reports indicate that Mr. Mehrtens’ release was facilitated through cooperation with local communities, religious leaders, and respected figures close to the captors.

In a video shared by Amnesty International, Mehrtens stated in Indonesian that he was in good health and hoped to reunite with his family soon. He was safely retrieved by security forces from Yuguru Village in Nduga and flown to police headquarters in Timika on September 21, 2024.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed Mr. Mehrtens’ release, marking a hopeful turn in the ongoing tensions in Papua. (Uki Ruknuddin)