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Papua resident arrested for alleged hate speech against Indonesia
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A map of Papua and West Papua provinces. (JP/-)
T
he Mimika Police in Papua have arrested AY, a worker at gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia, for making a video that police have described as “hate speech against Indonesia” and distributing it on social media.
Mimika Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Agung Marlianto said on Tuesday that AY was arrested at his house at Bumi Kamoro Indah housing complex last Thursday.
“[AY] faces charges under Article 45 Paragraph 2 of Law No. 19/2016 on electronic information and transactions, because he deliberately spread information aimed at fueling hatred against an individual or group of people based on their ethnicity, religion or race,” Agung said, as quoted by Antara news agency.
AY made a short video of his young son expressing opposition to Indonesia's sovereignty over Papua. The video was then posted on Facebook. The police did not arrest the child.
Conflicts between Papuan residents and police have spiked in the past week, as the country celebrated its Independence Day on Aug. 17.
Read also: Papuans feel differently about Indonesia's Independence Day
A group of Papuan students living in a dormitory in Surabaya, East Java, refused to fly the Indonesian flag ahead Independence Day, resulting in a clash between the students and local residents.
Separately, freshmen from the Jayapura-based Cendrawasih University wore attributes of the Morning Star, the flag used by separatist groups in Papua, on campus and chanted “free Papua”, as instructed by senior students.
The students were taken to police stations for questioning but were later released as the police did not press charges. (vny)
