Surya, who is the spokesperson of the Indonesia People's Front for West Papua (FRI-WP), was arrested on Aug. 31 for allegedly committing treason by protesting in front of the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta and other places on Aug. 28. Along with Surya, seven students from Papua involved in the same protest were also arrested.

Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) coordinator Yati Andriyani, who also advocated for the detainees, said that the legal team could not be sure if the songs were played specifically as a means of torturing the pro-Papua activists.

“We heard it when we were at the end of the visit and walking toward the car to go home. Therefore we could not make sure if the songs are played all day or every day and especially played for Surya and his friends,” she said.

Surya’s best friend, Suarbudaya Rahadian, a priest of the Salemba Blessing Community Church and editor of progressive Christians on the intellectual website Indoprogress, told the Post that Surya was being held in isolation.

“Surya Anta said he is detained in a different cell from the other detainees. He only can get out of the cell and see sunlight during an interrogation or a meeting with lawyers,” Suarbudaya said.

Suarbudaya confirmed that the patriotic songs are continuously played in the complex for all detainees to hear.

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