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Activists say protest supporting Papua not act of treason
Six activists are on trial for treason after they held a protest supporting Papuan independence in front of the Presidential Palace.
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Papuan activist Dano Tabuni attends a hearing regarding a protest held to support Papuan independence at the Central Jakarta District Court on Dec. 16. He and five other activists are facing treason charges. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
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ix activists on trial for holding a protest in support of Papuan independence have denied treason charges that were read out at a hearing on Thursday at the Central Jakarta District Court. The activists said they had not committed treason but had simply expressed their opinions.
The defendants, who consist of Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-West Papua) spokesperson Surya Anta and students Charles Kossay, Dano Tabuni, Isay Wenda, Ambrosius Mulait and Arina Elopere, will prepare rebuttals and send them to the court before Jan. 2.
The denial of the charges occurred after three court prosecutors announced on Thursday that the activists could face 20 years to life in prison for their protest in front of the State Palace on Aug. 28.
The charges were announced in a trial that started at 05:45 p.m., seven hours after it was initially scheduled.
“The defendants have breached article 106 and article 110 of the Criminal Code [KUHP],” said Permana, one of the prosecutors at the hearing.
The first charge was levied against Alina Elopere, who was accused of violating the KUHP for carrying the banned Bintang Kejora (Morning Star) flag, which has come to symbolize the Papuan independence movement. At the protest, she danced and sang a song whose lyrics included, “We are not red and white [the colors of the Indonesian flag],” during the protest.
The second charge was aimed at Dano Tabuni. Prosecutors believed he had given a speech during the protest demanding the government immediately hold a Papuan independence referendum.
