• Contact
21 / 03 / 2023
International Coalition for Papua
  • News
  • About Papua
  • Human Rights Report
    • Quarterly Reports
    • 2021
    • 2019
    • 2017
    • 2015
    • 2013
    • 2011
    • 2009
    • Genocide Report
  • Resources
    • International Law
      & Norms
    • National Laws
    • Political History
No Result
View All Result
International Coalition for Papua
  • News
  • About Papua
  • Human Rights Report
    • Quarterly Reports
    • 2021
    • 2019
    • 2017
    • 2015
    • 2013
    • 2011
    • 2009
    • Genocide Report
  • Resources
    • International Law
      & Norms
    • National Laws
    • Political History
International Coalition for Papua

Papuans Behind Bars January 2014

27.02.2014
in 2014
Reading Time: 2 mins read
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

At the end of January 2014, there were at least 74 political prisoners in Papuan jails.

The visiting delegation of Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) leaders was a highly politically charged event, and demonstrations were predictable. However, both the seniority of the civil society leaders heading the demonstrations and the repressive police response, in defiance of the media spotlight, highlighted just how high the stakes were on all sides.

As is often the case in Papua, protests were intended to highlight the long history of human rights violations in Papua, and in doing so the ongoing nature of those violations was demonstrated as protestors were arbitrarily arrested yet again. While protestors targeting the MSG delegation in Jayapura were manhandled, arrested and dispersed, protests targeting the delegation in Jakarta were not subject to these repressive tactics, despite getting far closer to members of the delegation than their colleagues in Papua. As numerous commentators noted, the state response to the protests was something of an ‘own goal’ for Indonesia, given that the original reason for the visit was to investigate the human rights situation in Papua.

The extremely heavy sentences proposed by the Prosecutor for defendants in the 1 May 2013 Biak case crystallised the trial into a critical test case for Indonesia’s policies in Papua. Five of the six defendants are threatened with 15-18 year sentences for peacefully raising the Morning Star flag in Biak. Their case echoes that of Filep Karma, who was imprisoned ten years ago and continues to serve a 15-year sentence for the same peaceful act. As the trial continues, Papua’s courts face a clear choice: to allow history to repeat itself in defiance of national and international law, or to steer a new course.

Reports of the torture of 12 men detained at demonstrations in November 2013 once again raise concerns about the treatment of political detainees in Papua, particularly in the Jayapura regional police station. The detainees were tortured, isolated and denied access to lawyers, with reports of torture only surfacing once the detainees were transferred to Abepura prison and could be accessed by lawyers and human rights workers. This is a recurring pattern. An area of particular concern is the fact that police were untruthful to human rights lawyers offering to represent the detainees, stating they already had representation, although this was not the case. These tactics are frequently reported and appear to be a deliberate strategy to ensure that illegal and inhumane police practices can continue undisturbed throughout the investigation process.

The slow emergence of information about political arrests in Sarmi and violence, political arrests and population displacement in Puncak Jaya highlighted the extreme difficulties in accessing accurate real-time information from most parts of Papua.

Read the full report here

Previous Post

ETAN’s West Papua Report February 2014

Next Post

Vanuatu PM raises West Papua issues before Human Rights Council

Related Post

Human Rights Update West Papua – 1st Quarter 2018

06.12.2021
Pusaka Press Release: Urging the State and Corporations to Protect and Respect Environmental Human Rights Defenders in Papua

Pusaka Press Release: Urging the State and Corporations to Protect and Respect Environmental Human Rights Defenders in Papua

18.11.2021
Fourth Update on trials and detentions after Anti-Racism Riots in West Papua

Fourth Update on trials and detentions after Anti-Racism Riots in West Papua

18.11.2021

Category

  • 2013
  • 2014
  • 2015
  • 2016
  • 2017
  • 2018
  • 2019
  • 2020
  • 2021
  • About Us
  • Biennial Report
  • CCPR Review 2013
  • CESCR Review 2014
  • Human Rights Report
  • International Law & Norms
  • National Laws
  • News
  • Political History
  • Quarterly Reports
  • Resources
  • Special Reports
  • Uncategorized

Tags

new (17)

ABOUT PAPUA

West Papua is the western half of the New Guinea island and comprises the two eastern-most Indonesian Provinces (Province Papua & Province Papua Barat). After decades of transmigration from other parts of Indonesia, the indigenous Melanesian population makes up less than 40% of the population.

Links

  • News
  • About Papua
  • Human Rights Report
  • Resources

Instagram Feed

    Go to the Customizer > JNews : Social, Like & View > Instagram Feed Setting, to connect your Instagram account.

Recent Post

Update on legal processes in relation to attack on military post in Maybrat – Lawyers call upon judges to acquit juvenile defendant

Update on law enforcement process in relation to attack on military post in Maybrat – six defendants transferred to Makassar for trial

31.12.2021
18 September 2021 marks end of palm oil moratorium in Indonesia – NGOs demand extension

Palm oil company PT Subur Karunia Raya alleged of breaching multiple laws in Teluk Bintuni

31.12.2021

© 2021 ICP - Webdesign by ➤ digitaleformate

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Human Rights Report
    • Quarterly Reports
    • 2019
    • 2017
    • 2015
    • 2013
    • 2011
    • 2009
    • Genocide Report
  • Resources
    • International Law & Norms
    • National Laws
    • Political History
  • About Us

© 2021 ICP - Webdesign by ➤ digitaleformate

Skip to content
Open toolbar

Accessibility Tools

  • Increase Text
  • Decrease Text
  • Grayscale
  • Links Underline
  • Readable Font
  • Reset