TAPOL Denounces sentencing for Buchtar Tabuni and Irwanus Uropmabin
TAPOL condemns the demand by Prosecutors seeking seventeen and five years imprisonment respectively, for West Papuan activists Buchtar Tabuni and Irwanus Uropmabin.On June 2, the Jayapura District Prosecutor's Office issued a 33 pages charges against the defendant Irwanus Uropmabin. In the document, the Public Prosecutor concluded that Irwanus Uropmabin was proven to have violated Article 106 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code, and stipulated a five-year prison sentence.Irwanus is a student activist, arrested on 11 September 2019 for participating in an anti-...
Seven More People in Indonesia Detained for Treason
Since the complaint submitted to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and UN Special Rapporteurs by Jennifer Robinson and Veronica Koman with the support of TAPOL on 15th April 2020, seven more people have been detained on treason charges in Indonesia. On 25th April 2020, more than a hundred people participated in a peaceful rally commemorating the declaration of the South Moluccan Republic seventy years ago. As a result, at least 23 people were arrested on that day. Most of them were released except seven people detailed below.Three people marched into the Maluku regional police...
Tujuh Orang Tahanan Makar Baru di Indonesia
Sejak pengaduan disampaikan kepada Kelompok Kerja PBB tentang Penahanan Sewenang-wenang dan beberapa Pelapor Khusus PBB oleh Jennifer Robinson dan Veronica Koman dengan dukungan TAPOL pada 15 April 2020, tujuh orang lagi telah ditahan atas tuduhan makar di Indonesia.Pada 25 April 2020, lebih dari seratus orang berpartisipasi dalam aksi damai memperingati deklarasi Republik Maluku Selatan tujuh puluh tahun yang lalu. Akibatnya, setidaknya 23 orang ditangkap pada hari itu. Sebagian besar dari mereka telah dibebaskan kecuali tujuh orang yang dijelaskan berikut ini.Tiga orang berjalan ke markas...
UPDATE The Jakarta Six: Cancellation of Release
(London, 12 May 2020) TAPOL condemns the political decision to cancel the early release of five political prisoners that were arrested in Jakarta for demonstrating in favour of self-determination of West Papua.On 24 April 2020, the Central Court of Jakarta sentenced Paulus Suryanta Ginting, Ambrosius Mulait, Dano Tabuni, Charles Kossay, and Ariana Elopere to nine months’ imprisonment; while Isay Wenda was sentenced to eight months. Isay Wenda was released on 29th April 2020 having served his full sentence.The Ministry of Law and Human Rights implemented a new policy on prisoners as a...
TAPOL Denounces Sentences handed to Jakarta Six
(London, 24 April 2020) TAPOL denounces the sentencing by the district court of Central Jakarta which found six political prisoners guilty of treason today and demands their immediate release. Paulus Suryanta Ginting, Ambrosius Mulait, Ariana Elopere, Dano Tabuni, and Charles Kossay were sentenced to nine months imprisonment, whereas Isay Wenda was sentenced to eight months imprisonment.The six were arrested over their participation in a peaceful protest outside the State Palace in Jakarta on 28th August 2019, during which they flew Morning Star flags and chanted ‘Free West Papua1. The first...
Urgent Appeals Filed with UN by 63 Political Prisoners in Indonesia Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
(London, Sydney, 15 April 2020) Sixty-three political prisoners detained on treason charges in Indonesia have made a joint urgent appeal to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and UN Special Rapporteurs.The 63 political prisoners instructed Jennifer Robinson and Indonesian human rights lawyer Veronica Koman, with the support of human rights organisation TAPOL, to bring their cases to the UN. The urgent appeal demonstrates that all 63 prisoners are being arbitrarily and unlawfully detained, in violation of Indonesia’s international human rights obligations.The...
NGO Joint Statement - 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council
43rd Session of the Human Rights CouncilItem 4: General DebateNGO Joint statement - 10 March 2020Delivered by Ms. Latifah Anum SiregarMadam President,My name is Anum Siregar, a human rights lawyer from West Papua. I am delivering a joint statement of Franciscans International and Geneva for Human Rights with the support of the International Coalition for Papua, TAPOL and Aliansi Demokrasi untuk Papua (ALDP) and West Papua Netzwerk. The Indonesian Provinces of Papua and West Papua remain to be the key region of human rights violations and conflicts.I would like to...
Indonesia: Officers in Office
TAPOL BriefingThe proposed insertion of serving military officers into civilian government postsMarch 1, 2020IntroductionIt has been more than two decades since a process of democratic reform was initiated in Indonesia under which the military stepped back from its political role. As part of the reforms, the military were gradually removed both from legislative posts that guaranteed it political representation and also posts in Indonesia’s civilian bureaucracy. However, in 2019, the military indicated its wishes to re-insert serving military officers into the bureaucracy, in Ministries and...
Indonesia: Officers in Office
TAPOL BriefingThe proposed insertion of serving military officers into civilian government postsMarch 1, 2020IntroductionIt has been more than two decades since a process of democratic reform was initiated in Indonesia under which the military stepped back from its political role. As part of the reforms, the military were gradually removed both from legislative posts that guaranteed it political representation and also posts in Indonesia’s civilian bureaucracy. However, in 2019, the military indicated its wishes to re-insert serving military officers into the bureaucracy, in Ministries and...
243 deaths in West Papua: the international community must call for an impartial investigation and an end to the security forces’ operations.
TAPOL is extremely concerned by reports that the Indonesian military’s operations in Nduga Regency, West Papua, cost the lives of 243 people, 45 percent of whom were children, between 4th December 2018 and 8thFebruary 2019. Several hundred civilians fled their homes on 4thDecember 2018 when a joint police and military operation launched an attack on villages in Mbuwa district, Nduga Regency, in apparent ‘retaliation’ for the killing of 18 road construction workers two days earlier by West Papuan freedom fighters, the National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPNPB) led by Egianus Kogeya. The...
243 orang tewas di West Papua: masyarakat internasional harus menyerukan investigasi yang tidak memihak dan mengakhiri operasi pasukan keamanan.
TAPOL sangat prihatin dengan laporan bahwa operasi militer Indonesia di Kabupaten Nduga, West Papua, telah merenggut nyawa 243 orang, 45 persen di antaranya adalah anak-anak, dalam kurun waktu 4 Desember 2018 dan 8 Februari 2019. Ratusan warga sipil meninggalkan rumah mereka pada tanggal 4 Desember 2018 ketika sebuah operasi gabungan polisi dan militer melancarkan serangan ke desa-desa di distrik Mbuwa, Kabupaten Nduga, sebagai 'pembalasan' atas pembunuhan 18 pekerja pembangunan jalan dua hari sebelumnya oleh pejuang kemerdekaan West Papua, Tentara Pembebasan Nasional Papua Barat (TPNPB)...
Gustaf Kawer dan Yohanis Mambrasar memenangkan Pro Bono Champions 2019
TAPOL mengucapkan selamat kepada Gustaf Kawer dan Yohanis Mambrasar, dua pengacara dari West Papua yang pada Rabu malam, 11 Desember 2019, memenangkan penghargaan Pro Bono Champions 2019 dari Hukumonline. Hukumonline.com adalah portal internet yang didirikan di awal reformasi oleh para praktisi hukum demi menyediakan informasi dan pelatihan tentang dunia hukum di Indonesia. Sejak 2018 penghargaan Pro Bono Champions diberikan setiap tahunnya kepada lembaga hukum dan pengacara komersial yang memberikan waktu mereka melayani mereka yang terpinggirkan secara cuma-cuma. Gustaf...
Gustaf Kawer and Yohanis Mambrasar: Pro Bono Champions 2019
TAPOL congratulates West Papuan lawyers Gustaf Kawer and Yohanis Mambrasar as the winners of Hukumonline Awards Pro Bono Champions 2019. The awards for Pro Bono Excellence Hours and the Most Inspiring Lawyer in the Field of Pro Bono Non-Litigation respectively were given in Jakarta on Wednesday, 11 December 2019. Hukumonline.com is an internet portal established in Indonesia at the turn of the millenium by lawyers and legal practitioners to provide educational information and training about law and legal matters. Since 2018, the prize of Pro Bono Champion is being awarded annually to...
West Papua: 61 tahanan politik baru pada peringatan Hari Nasional Papua 1 Desember
Orang Papua telah memperingati Hari Nasional mereka pada 1 Desember tiap tahunnya sejak 1961. Hal ini seringkali disambut dengan represi keras oleh aparat keamanan Indonesia.TAPOL sangat khawatir dengan tindakan keras aparat keamanan menjelang peringatan 1 Desember tahun ini. Khususnya, kami risau dengan penggunaan pasal makar terhadap mereka yang memperingati Hari Nasional tersebut, serta yang lainnya. Aparat keamanan menangkap 126 orang, hingga muncul 61 tahanan politik baru yang dikenakan pasal makar. Hal ini adalah lanjutan dari penangkapan atas makar yang terjadi antara 30 Agustus hingga...
West Papua: 61 new political prisoners on 1st December West Papuan National Day commemoration crackdown
West Papuans have been commemorating their National Day on 1st December every year since 1961. This has often resulted in violent repression by the Indonesian security forces.TAPOL is very alarmed by the security forces’ crackdown in the lead up to the 1st December commemoration day this year. In particular, we are concerned with the use of treason charges against those commemorating the National Day, and others. The security forces arrested 126 people, resulting in 61 new political prisoners who have been charged with treason. This follows a spate of arrests for treason between 30th August...
ACFID Awards Human Rights Recognition for Veronica Koman
TAPOL congratulates Veronica Koman for receiving the Sir Ronald Wilson Human Rights Award for her work on West Papua. Ms. Koman is a human rights lawyer and activist who advocates for the rights to freedom of expression and self-determination. The award was given by the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) on Wednesday 23 October 2019. ACFID created the award in 2002 to honour the legacy of Sir Ron Wilson AC KBE CMG QC, who served as a judge on the High Court of Australia, as President of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission until 1997 and was President of...
OHCHR Statement to the Indonesian Government on the Protection of Rights and Freedom of Expression in the Current West Papua Situation
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have expressed their concern at the Indonesian government increasing the presence of police and military personnel in West Papua and continued crack down on human rights defenders using criminal law over reporting on West Papua.On Monday 16 September, the UN human rights special experts made an appeal to the Indonesian government for immediate measures to protect freedom of expression and stop the harassment, intimidation, restrictions and threats against those who report on the protests in West Papua. To the...
VERONICA KOMAN, HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER AND SURYA ANTA, ‘FREE WEST’ PAPUA ACTIVIST SHOULD BE PROTECTED AND HONOURED, NOT CRIMINALISED (Translated statement)
Human rights lawyer Veronica Koman has been consistent in defending West Papuan activists, and Free West Papua activist Surya Anta has been consistent in fighting for the right to self-determination for the indigenous West Papuan population. Veronica Koman protects activists who speak about West Papua across Indonesia, and Surya Anta has supported the right to self-determination with various groups and networks. This is extremely rare, as there are very few non-Papuan Indonesian lawyers and pro-democracy activists who are ready to take on this kind of work. Both Vero and Surya Anta have been...
Summary of Violations of Freedom of Expression on West Papua: 15 August 2019
(London, 16 August 2019) Peaceful protesters across Indonesia and West Papua took to the streets yesterday to commemorate the 1962 New York Agreement and to support the West Papua delegation at the Pacific Islands Forum Summit. The groups protesting were from the Action Committee of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (Komite Aksi ULMWP), the Papuan Students Alliance (Aliansi Mahasiswa Papua / AMP), Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (Front Rakyat Indonesia untuk West Papua / FRI-WP), and Papuan Students Community (Komunitas Mahasiswa Papua / KMP).The day was marked with...
Media Freedom in West Papua: Submission to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee Inquiry
In June 2019, TAPOL and Jubi made a written submission to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee. The Commons Select Committee has opened up an inquiry into the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Global Media Freedom. TAPOL and Jubi's submission highlighted the current state of media freedom in West Papua in particular. Over the last 10 years, journalists and news organisations have faced serious threats to their personal security, as well as being targeted by digital disinformation campaigns that aimed to disrupt the work of legitimate news sources and reporting. The death of...