Papua New Guinea - March 2025

The National Court in Bulolo, Morobe Province sentenced a man to five years imprisonment on 12 March for accusing 39 year-old Lorna Nico of sorcery, which led to her rape and murder by a group of local men. The verdict marks the first time the country’s 2022 Glasman Act has successfully been used to convict a ‘glasman’, individuals who claim expertise in identifying ‘sorcerers’ in a community, who did not directly participate in the resulting murder or violence against the accused. The PNG Tribal Foundation estimates that 700 people are tortured or murdered in Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV) cases every year in Papua New Guinea. Women are the primary victims of SARV, although men are accused as well. The verdict was hailed as a landmark ruling that may help to discourage SARV, although most cases of violence are not reported and the few that are, are rarely prosecuted.

Sources: Benar News, South China Morning Post, Papua New Guinea Post-Courier