Recent cyber attacks believed to suppress publication of new report on Papuan political prisoners
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- Published on Thursday, 12 December 2019 23:40
The EU based web host ‘GreenNet’, which is hosting websites of human rights and other civil society organisations, was subjected to two cyber attacks on 22 and 23 November 2019. The attacks were categorized as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS). Such attacks aim to overwhelm the servers with millions of requests until they run out of capacity and become unavailable. According to GreenNet the attacks lasted for exactly one hour, indicating that it was likely to have been a "DDoS for hire". A forensic examination found strong circumstantial evidence that the cyber attacks aimed to prevent the publication of a new report on Papuan political prisoners and detainees throughout 2018 and 2019 by ‘Papuans Behind Bars’. GreenNet called on private users and civil society organizations to disseminate the report widely.
Lawyers express concern regarding health condition of political detainees
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- Published on Sunday, 01 December 2019 23:10
Lawyers are concerned about the deteriorating health condition of several Papuan political detainees in Jakarta and Jayapura. A group of lawyers in Jakarta stated in a public interview with Papuan media outlet Suara Papua that the health condition of pro-independence activist Surya Anta Ginting and five Papuan students have been deteriorating since last week. The six political detainees are in custody at the Rutan Salemba Detention facility in Jakarta (Rutan Salemba Jakarta). According to the lawyers, some of the detainees suffer from a sore throat and typhus.
Commemoration of ‘Papuan Independence Day’ - 104 Papuans reportedly arrested, at least 20 charged with treason
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- Published on Monday, 02 December 2019 22:47
Reports by human rights defenders and media articles mention a total of 104 arrests in multiple locations across West Papua. The arrests occurred in relation to commemorations of 1st December, which many indigenous Papuans regard as the ‘Papuan Independence Day’. This year marks the 58th anniversary of the first official Morning Star flag raising under the Dutch colonial government. In Jayapura, the police summoned two leaders of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP), Markus Haluk and Edison Waromi. At least twenty arrestees were charged with treason.
Update on trials and detentions after racist assaults on Papuan students and subsequent anti-racism riots in West Papua
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- Published on Thursday, 28 November 2019 02:08
Three months have passed since a large number of demonstrations were held across West Papua and other parts of Indonesia to protest against multiple acts of racism against Papuan students in the Javanese cities of Malang and Surabaya. Some of the rallies turned violent and resulted in the destruction of Government offices, public facilities and stores. The riots were followed by a wave of criminalisation and legal prosecutions against Papuans who participated in the protests, but also against human rights defenders and political activists. While most of the protesters and activists are still detained for further police investigation, the first trials have been initiated in early November. Hereinafter is a brief update on the first court trials and detentions.
Human Rights Watch is calling for Indonesia to release peaceful Papua activists
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- Published on Wednesday, 27 November 2019 18:34
(Jakarta, November 28, 2019) – Indonesian authorities should drop treason charges and release at least 22 activists detained since August 2019 for peaceful acts of free expression concerning Papua, Human Rights Watch said today. These abusive prosecutions show backtracking by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration in dealing with the human rights situation in West Papua and Papua provinces.
Ahead of Papuan nationalists’ “Independence Day” on December 1, foreign diplomats and United Nations officials should monitor demonstrations in Papua and West Papua provinces and the law enforcement response.
New discourse on settlement of past human rights violations in Indonesia – Papuans hope for Justice
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- Published on Tuesday, 26 November 2019 21:32
The new Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Affairs, Mahfud, plans to accelerate the settlement of past human rights violations in Indonesia. Mahfud said he wants to implement the re-establishment of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (Komisi Kebenaran dan Rekonsiliasi, KKR). According to Mahfud, the government will submit a draft law on Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the upcoming national legislation program (Prolegnas) before 18 December 2019. The KKR commission had already been established in 2004, but was dissolved again in 2006 after the Constitutional Court cancelled Law 27/2004 on Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Military members kill indigenous Papuan and injure three others in Tolikara Regency
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- Published on Tuesday, 26 November 2019 03:30
A group of military members reportedly shot dead a Papuan student named Lemitur Wandik (27 years) on 9 November 2019 at Giling Batu Street in the highland town of Karubaga, Tolikara Regency. Three of Lemitur’s friends were injured during the incident. One of them, Yakoka Wandik, was taken into custody at the Tolikara District Police station. Residents had called the military personnel to settle a dispute between migrant traders and a group of indigenous Papuans.
'Papuans Behind Bars' publishes new report on political prisoners, treason charges and lack of judicial transparency in political prisoner cases
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- Published on Tuesday, 26 November 2019 01:34
Numerous political arrests have taken place in 2018 and 2019 as the Indonesian authorities attempted to suppress political protests in West Papua and Indonesia. In particular, treason charges have been used to an unprecedented extent to arrest political activists during August and September this year, in response to an apparent increase in support across Indonesia for the West Papuan self-determination struggle. Foreign as well as local human rights advocates are being subjected to similar scrutiny.
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