A human rights organization has strongly suggested the Indonesian government drop charges against five Papuan activists who are presently being prosecuted for peacefully expressing their political views.
“The Indonesian government should show its commitment to peaceful expression by dropping the charges against these five Papuan activists,” said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a press statement sent to The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
She added that, “It is appalling that a modern democratic nation such as Indonesia continues to lock people up for organizing a demonstration and expressing controversial [issues].”
The statement was made in response the Jayapura District Court that would begin the trial of five leaders of the Papuan People’s Congress, which authorities forcibly dispersed last October.
HRW recorded that on October 19 last year, security forces had used excessive force to disperse the three-day Papuan People’s Congress gathering in Jayapura, claiming at least three lives.
The security apparatus had also named five activists as suspects. They are Forkorus Yaboisembut, Edison Waromi, August Makbrowen Senay, Dominikus Sorabut, and Selpius Bobii, who have been charged with treason.
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