Update below statement. Sorong City Police release 16 residents, 8 remain in detention
----------------
AWPA statement 29 August 2025
AWPA condemns the ongoing crackdown on demonstrators in Sorong , West Papua.
Joe Collins of AWPA said, "the demonstrators were peacefully protesting the transfer of four Papuan political prisoners — Goram Goram Gaman, Maksi Sangkek, Piter Robaha, and Nikson Mai from the Sorong State Court to Makassar. They were calling on the authorities to allow the prisoners to remain in West Papua where they would have the support of their families and friends”.
Jubi (29 August) has reported that at this stage "The trial of four defendants in an alleged treason case at the Makassar District Court was postponed after the defendants refused to proceed without legal representation. This refusal was based on the defendants' legal rights as stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP)".
Four defendants in a treason case from Southwest Papua in the courtroom at the Makassar District Court, South Sulawesi, Thursday (28/08/2025). Documentation of Makassar District Court Public Relations. Photo in Jubi
Joe Collins said, "The security forces responded in their usual heavy-handed approach to peacefully rallies in West Papua with intimidation and arbitrary arrests. Up to 17 West Papuans were reported to have been arrested”. The authorities are blaming the demonstrators for rioting instead of the security forces whose brutality led to the deteriorating situation in Sorong.
The demonstrations which began on the 27 are ongoing.
The below is from a post on AWPA's FB Page
--------
Jumat 29 Agustus 2025
Sedang berlangsung di kota Sorong
Masa Masi berhadapan dengan pihak kepolisian Indonesia sampai pagi ini tggl 28 smpi tgl 29 Rakyat Papua Merasa kecewaan 4 Tahanan politik Papua Barat kirim secara Terpaksa ke Makassar pada tanggal 27 Agustus 2025
Friday August 29, 2025
Happening now in Sorong city
Masa Masi face to face with the Indonesian police until this morning from 28 to 29
Papuan People Feel Disappointed 4 West Papua Political Prisoners Forcibly Sent to Makassar on August 27, 2025
Photos posted on AWPA FB page
The 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting will begin on the 8 September in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
At its 46th PIF meeting in Port Moresby in PNG in 2015, the Forum Leaders (in relation to West Papua) "requested the Forum Chair to convey the views of the Forum to the Indonesian Government, and to consult on a fact-finding mission to discuss the situation in Papua with the parties involved”.
Joe Collins said, "ten years later there still has been no positive response from Jakarta”. AWPA will be writing to the FORUM Leaders this year urging that they vigorously follow up on their original request , urging Jakarta to not only allow a PIF fact finding mission to visit West Papua but to also urge Jakarta to invite the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit the territory.
It’s only if enough outside attention is brought to the issue of West Papua that Jakarta may control is military in the territory and stop the human rights abuses.
Ends
----------------------------
Update
A google translate.
Original Bahasa link
Sorong City Police release 16 residents, 8 remain in detention
Last updated: August 30, 2025, 1:58 pm
Author: Gamaliel M. Kaliele Editor: Angela Flassy
Published August 30, 2025
Papuan mothers and the families of prisoners carried out a spontaneous action by occupying the yard of the Sorong City Police Headquarters, Friday (29/8/2025) - Jubi/Gamaliel
Sorong Jubi – The Sorong City Police have released 16 residents arrested during a demonstration on Wednesday (August 27, 2025). The releases were made Friday evening after police found no criminal elements.
Simon Soren, legal advisor to the Papuan Human Rights Advocates Coalition, said the decision confirmed the arrests were unlawful. However, four more residents were arrested on Friday afternoon, bringing the total to eight people still detained as of Saturday (August 30, 2025).
"Of the total, 16 people were recently released on the grounds that they did not meet the elements of a crime. So, after two 24-hour detentions, it has been proven that they are innocent," Simon said.
He explained that his team had initially advocated for the 17 residents arrested, but the number continued to grow as the situation developed.
"Initially, we advocated for 17 people, then the data increased to 23. Today, six more people were detained. Nevertheless, we continue to advocate for all those arrested," he said on Friday (August 29, 2025).
The Coalition's current focus is ensuring the legal status of those still detained and monitoring the situation on the ground. "We don't want to jump to conclusions, but the bottom line is that the 16 people arrested were proven not to have committed any crime," he reiterated.
Meanwhile, another legal advisor from the Papua Human Rights Advocates Coalition, Ambrosius Klagilit, expressed his regret over the alleged violence experienced by several residents while in detention. "We at the Papua Human Rights Advocates Coalition actually regret this, because the police must adhere to the applicable legal principles and not be brutal towards civilians," he said.
Ambrosius added that seven residents remain detained by the Sorong City Police. "The seven people still detained are all charged under Article 170 of the Criminal Code, and we will continue to provide legal assistance to them," he said.
Of the eight residents still under arrest, five are activists from the Pro-Democracy Papuan People's Solidarity Front (FSP) throughout Greater Sorong. Four activists were arrested at the residence of one of the political prisoners, Goram Gaman, on Friday afternoon.
Earlier on Friday afternoon, dozens of Papuan women (Mama Papua) along with the families of the detainees staged a spontaneous protest, occupying the courtyard of the Sorong City Police Headquarters. They even blocked Jalan Ahmad Yani in a show of disappointment over the residents' arrests.
"We didn't come here to cause trouble, but we demand justice for our children," Robby Wanwa, a member of the Southwest Papua Provincial Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD), was also present and provided assurances to the police that the children still being detained would be released immediately. "We, the DPRD, along with the tribal chiefs, are ready to act as guarantees. These children should not be detained any longer. Let them return home, and we will be responsible for ensuring they do not repeat the same thing," Robby asserted.
As of the publication of this report, attempts to contact the Sorong City Police Chief regarding the details of the detention of the remaining seven residents had not yet been answered. (*)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.