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View all search resultsHRW criticizes imprisonment of political change proponents
Human Rights Watch (HRW) says it takes no position on the right to self-determination, but that it opposes the imprisonment of people who peacefully express support for self-determination
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H
uman Rights Watch (HRW) says it takes no position on the right to self-determination, but that it opposes the imprisonment of people who peacefully express support for self-determination.
The New York-based rights group made the statement in response to the ongoing imprisonment of political activists in Papua and Maluku.
'The government has consistently arrested and jailed protesters for peacefully advocating independence or other political change. Many such arrests and prosecutions are of activists who peacefully raise banned symbols, such as the Papuan Morning Star and the South Maluku RMS flags,' HRW said in a statement on Saturday.
President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo announced clemency for Apotnalogolik Lokobal, Numbungga Telenggen, Kimanus Wenda, Linus Hiluka, and Jefrai Murib while on a visit to Papua's provincial capital of Jayapura on Saturday.
Most Papuan political prisoners reject the concept of clemency, as it requires an admission of guilt in return for release, according to HRW. Those Papuan political prisoners who refuse the government's offer of clemency include Filep Karma, a civil servant, who is serving 15 years for raising the Morning Star flag ' a West Papua independence symbol ' in December 2004.
HRW said that in November 2011, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention called Karma a political prisoner and asked the Indonesian government to release him 'immediately and unconditionally' -- a call which was later rejected by Indonesian authorities.
The group said the conduct of the Indonesian security forces in Papua has also bred a deepening antipathy between native Papuans and Indonesian authorities. 'The security forces in Papua have been implicated in dozens of human rights abuses over the past decade, including the killing of five unarmed peaceful protesters in the remote town of Enarotali on December 8, 2014,' it said.
Results from three separate official probes into the shootings, conducted by police, the national Human Rights Commission, and the military have not yet been released, HRW said. (ebf)
