AI Urgent Action: 4 Papuan Students in Danger after Police Torture

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ASA21/1312/2015/en/
UA: 72/15 Index: ASA 21/1312/2015 Indonesia 

Date: 26 March 2015 

URGENT ACTION FOUR STUDENTS IN DANGER AFTER POLICE TORTURE 

Four students have been tortured or otherwise ill-treated by police in Indonesia’s Papua province. There are concerns for their safety.
Four students, three of them children, were arbitrarily detained and tortured or otherwise ill-treated by police on 18 March 2015, according to their lawyer. 

Eldi Kogoya, aged 17, Timotius Tabuni, aged 17 and Lesman Jigibalom, aged 23, were going home, on their motorcycles, on the night of 18 March, when they were followed and stopped by plainclothes armed members of a special police unit, the Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob), near the Cigombong market in Jayapura city, Papua province. When they asked why they were being detained the police accused them of committing a crime and at least 11 Brimob officers stabbed, beat, punched and kicked them. A fourth student, Mies Tabo, aged 14, who was nearby and witnessed the attack, called out for help but was kicked, slapped and threatened by the police to stay silent. All four were then dragged along the road to the nearby Brimob headquarters. They were detained there briefly before being sent to hospital. All four have been released without charge. 

All four are suffering from wounds and bruises all over their faces and bodies. One of them, Lesman Jigibalom, is in a critical condition in hospital with a stab wound to his right shoulder which pierced his lung. Eldi Kogoya has a broken rib while Timotius Tabuni has a gash cut to his head. All of them have cuts and bruises on their knees from being dragged along the road. They and their families have been traumatised. 

Please write immediately in English or your own language:
* Urging the authorities to take immediate action to ensure the safety of Eldi Kogoya, Timotius Tabuni, Lesman Jigibalom and Mies Tabo in accordance with their wishes; 

* Urging them to ensure that the four students have access to any medical attention they may require, including psychological treatment; 

* Calling on them to order, immediately, an effective and independent investigation into the allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, and bring all those responsible for torture and other ill-treatment to justice, including those with command responsibility. 

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 7 MAY 2015 TO:
Head of the Division on Professionalism & Security (Propam) Inspector General Irjen Syafruddin 
Kadiv Propam Mabes Polri 
Jl. Trunojoyo No. 3 
Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia 
Fax: +62 21 7280 0947 
Twitter: @DivHumasPolri Salutation: 
Dear Inspector General Irjen Syafruddin
Director General for Human Rights Aidir Amin Daud 
Ministry of Law and Human Rights 
Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav No. 4-5 
Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan 12950, 
Indonesia 
Fax: +62 215 253095 
Twitter: @Humas_Kumham 
Salutation: Dear Aidir Amin Daud
And copies to: 

Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) 
Nur Kholis 
Jl Latuharhary 
No.4 Menteng Jakarta Pusat 
10310, Indonesia 
Fax: +62 213 912026 
Email: pengaduan@komnasham.go.id 

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please insert local diplomatic addresses below: 
Name 
Address 1 
Address 2 Address 3 Fax Fax number Email Email address Salutation Salutation 

Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Indonesian security forces have a track record of committing human rights violations in the Papua region with near impunity. Amnesty International has received credible reports of unlawful killings and unnecessary and excessive use of force and firearms as well as torture and other ill-treatment by both police and military personnel. 

Although the authorities have made some attempts to hold the perpetrators to account using internal disciplinary mechanisms, criminal investigations into human rights violations by the security forces are all too rare, leaving many victims without access to justice and reparation and perpetrators with little or nothing to deter them from committing further violations. 

Indonesia has yet to amend its Criminal Code to fully incorporate a definition of torture. The lack of sufficient legal provisions on “acts of torture” creates a loophole which has devastating consequences. It provides no legal deterrent to state agents who commit these acts and does not provide a sufficient legal basis on which state agents who have committed torture can be brought to justice. 

International human rights observers, non-governmental organizations and journalists are severely restricted in their work in the Papua region. The denial of free and unimpeded access to these provinces limits independent monitoring and reporting of the human rights situation there. During his presidential campaign in 2014, President Joko Widodo promised to open up access to Papua to international observers but has so far done nothing about this since coming to office. 

Name: Eldi Kogoya, Timotius Tabuni, Lesman Jigibalom, Mies Tabo 

Gender m/f: m 

UA: 72/15 Index: ASA 21/1312/2015 Issue Date: 26 March 2015