National Committee of West Papua (KNPB) activist dies after being released from Abepura Prison in Jayapura, Papua.
n activist affiliated with the National Committee of West Papua (KNPB) died on Monday after being released from Abepura Prison in Jayapura, Papua, where he had been serving a sentence for robbery.
The activist, identified as Zamotok Lokon, was arrested by the Jayapura Police and charged with robbery in 2018. Lokon was held on remand for two months before his trial in Jayapura District Court, which sentenced him to eight months’ imprisonment on May 28, 2018.
KNPB head Agust Kossay said that Lokon had suffered an intestinal complaint when he started his sentence. However, Lokon reportedly never received proper treatment while in prison.
“He suffered from diarrhea, but the prison did not provide him with proper treatment so his health kept declining over time,” Kossay told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
He added that Lokon’s family, as well as the KNPB, had demanded that Lokon be allowed to receive treatment outside the prison. After their request was granted, Lokon’s family took him home and he received medical treatment at his house until his death.
The head of Abepura Prison Kornelius Rumboirusi said the prison doctor had sent Lokon to Abepura Regional General Hospital (RSUD) as he suffered from a serious illness.
“However, the treatment did not achieve the desired result, so we handed him over to his family as per his family’s request,” Kornelius said.
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.