THE INDONESIA HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

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Civil Rights of Abepura 16 March 2006 suspects threatened

23 June 2006

TAPOL today issued a statement strongly regretting the harsh treatment of 16 Papuans who have been in police detention in Jayapura since early May. They are charged with participating in a demonstration held in Jayapura on 16 March 2006.

According to a document circulated by the Justice and Peace Secretariat (SKP) of the Diocese of Jayapura, the sixteen men were subjected to harsh torture and maltreatment during the first weeks of their detention, in an attempt by the police to force them to admit to the existence of the so-called PEPERA (abbreviation of Act of Free Choice) network.

When members of the SKP visited the men in mid June, they were still showing signs of the torture on their faces to which they had been subjected. One of the men, Jefri Pawika, was denied medical treatment although he fell ill because of the treatment.

The statement also draws attention to the treatment of the sixteen men during the trial which is currently underway in Jayapura. Prior to a session at which the prosecutor was to announce the charges against the men, they were maltreated for two hours in an attempt to get them to confess to the charges.

A lawyer appointed by the court has failed to visit them or advice them on how to handle their defence. Furthermore, the judges sitting on the panel have subjected them to abusive language in violation of the principles of a fair trial, and in violation of the principle of 'innocent until proved guilty'.

TAPOL made the following demands:

1. The rule of law, human rights, truth and justice should be upheld at all levels, during police questioning and interrogation, and during the court hearings.
2. Every effort should be made to discover the facts behind the events that led to the conflict which occurred during the demonstration in Jayapura on 16 March.
3. That legal process should not be used to criminalise persons who make use of peaceful methods to criticise the authorities in accordance with the principles set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
4. An independent investigation should be undertaken into the treatment of the 16 detainees arrested in connection with the 16 March demonstration and those found responsible for maltreatment should be called to account in a court of law.

The text of TAPOL's letter of protest, written in the Indonesian language.

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