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Indonesian police allegedly detain, assault local journalists covering Papuan unrest
Police in Papua reportedly intimidated and temporarily detained three journalists, assaulting at least one of them, as the reporters were covering violent unrest at Cendrawasih University in Jayapura on Monday morning.
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Press freedom illustration (Shutterstock/File)
P
olice in Papua reportedly intimidated and temporarily detained three local journalists, assaulting at least one of them, as the reporters were covering violent unrest at Cendrawasih University in Jayapura on Monday morning.
The Papuan Native Journalist Forum (FJAP) explained in a press release that the three journalists -- Hengky Yeimo from Tabloid Jubi, Benny Mawel from The Jakarta Post and Ardi Bayage from Suara Papua -- were taking pictures of the unrest when some police officers blocked their way and forced them into a nearby parking lot.
An officer who saw Ardi's hat with 'PNG' letters on it, the abbreviation of neighboring Papua New Guinea, demanded he remove it.
"Take the hat off, you dog! What kind of a journalist are you?" the officer demanded while hitting Ardi's head, the press release stated.
The police then accused the reporters of being provocateurs and consequently banned them from covering the unrest. The journalists, on the other hand, kept trying to explain that they worked under the Press Law and therefore no one could interfere with their job.
The argument, however, was not accepted by the police as they forced the reporters to leave the site. "We were forced not to cover [the unrest]," Benny said.
FJAP coordinator Arnold Belau condemned the police's treatment of the journalists as they were protected under the Press Law. The law, he explained, guarantees that the journalists can do their work. "Free from intimidation and restriction from any parties," he said.
