The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the local network in Jayawijaya Regency, Papua, regarding the arrest and detention of one Polish tourist and other indigenous Papuans. The police have accused the tourist of misusing his visa and being involved in the selling of illegal bullets in Papua. Civil society and human rights organizations are urging the police for more transparency in investigation of this case.
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September 11, 2018
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INDONESIA: Polish citizen and indigenous Papuans arrested and detained by police
ISSUES: Rule of law, due process, accountability
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On 25 August 2018 in Wamena, Papua, the Jayawijaya Police Office (Polres Jayawijaya) arrested the polish citizen Mr. Jakub Fabian Skrzypski (39). Skrzypski entered Indonesia and visited Papua on a tourist visa. The police arrested him at 12:20 p.m. when he was heading to visit the Habema lake, and later transferred him to the police office. He was interrogated there for one hour, and released at 2 p.m. He was arrested together with three others, Naftali Wasahe, Edward Wandik and Habel Wilil, while driving to Habema.
After his release, Skrzypski was again arrested by police officers of the Jayawijaya Police Office in a hotel in Wamena city. Other Papuans were also arrested at the same time, in various places. In Potikelek Market of Wamena, the police arrested Naftali Wasahe (head of village), Edward Wandik (university student), Alfons Hisage (senior high school student) and Linus Wandik (senior high school student).
On the same day, the police went to Elelim, the Capital city of Yalimo regency, where they arrested Yohanis Wandik and Alex Wasahe, who were then taken to Wamena. On 27 August 2018, three people including Jakub were transferred to Jayapura (the capital city of Papua). The police charged them with involvement in the illegal trade of bullets.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the authorities listed below. Ask them to ensure that the police investigation of the case is conducted under fair trial principles and in line with international human rights standards. The police investigators must be accountable and transparent, and should also involve the National Commission of Human Rights (Komnas HAM) as well as the National Police Commission to ensure there is no abuse of power. If there is not enough evidence, then all suspects must be released immediately.
The AHRC will write a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers calling for their intervention in this matter.
