Jakarta – The Papuan Coalition for Upholding the Law and Human Rights is urging the police to stop criminalising the Papuan people through the makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) articles if they do not want the term political prisoner (tapol) to be used anymore in Indonesia.

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The panel of judges at the Balikpapan District Court in East Kalimantan found seven Papuan political prisoners guilty of treason during the sentence hearing which took place on Wednesday June 17.

Ihsanuddin, Jakarta – Special Presidential Staff for Legal Affairs, Dini Purwono insists that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo commitment to seeking justice over the 2017 acid attack against senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan has not changed.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders says that thousands of human rights (HAM) activists advocating Papuan issues have been victims of violence under the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. There have been at least 72 cases of legal violations and violence against them.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders is calling for the release of seven Papuan defendants who are being tried on treason charges at the Balikpapan District Court in East Kalimantan.

Man in boat: Can they still hear our voices?

According to two recent surveys, most Indonesians disagree with the government’s decision to hold the 2020 simultaneous regional elections (Pilkada) on December 9 as uncertainty remains over when the Covid-19 pandemic will end.

Deny Prastyo Utomo, Surabaya – Dozens of Papuan students held a demonstration at the Apsari Park in front of the governor’s office in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Tuesday June 16.

Jakarta – TVRI’s Study from Home (BdR) program produced by the Ministry of Education and Culture will air the film Let the Words Rest (Istirahatlah Kata-kata) about pro-democracy activist and poet Wiji Thukul.

RR Ukirsari Manggalani and Stephanus Aranditio – The Papua-Aceh Student Association (HIMAPA) in the Achenese provincial capital of Banda Aceh is urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to unconditionally release all Papuan political prisoners.

Reza Gunadha and Yosea Arga Pramudita – Demonstrators from the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (Tapol) held a protest action at the Aspiration Park and the Supreme Court (MA) in Central Jakarta on Monday June 15.

Jakarta – Demonstrations demanding the release of seven Papuans being tried on treason charges at the Balikpapan District Court in East Kalimantan were not just held in Jakarta. Similar actions were also held simultaneously in several other parts of the country on Monday June 15.

M Nurhadi and Muhammad Ilham Baktora – An action calling for the release of Papuan political prisoners (tapol) which was held at the zero kilometer point in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta on Monday June 15 has become heated. A small disturbance flared up because a police post loudspeaker was too noisy and disturbed the protesters.

Tubagus Achmad – A rally by the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) in the East Java city of Malang on Monday June 15 demanded the release of Papuan political prisoners (tapols) across Indonesia as well as the right of self-determination for the Papuan people.

Iqbal Safana, Bandung – The Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP) and the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) held an action in solidarity with seven Papuan political prisoners (tapol) who are being tried on charges of treason.

Rakhmat Nur Hakim, Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Director Asfinawati says that there are three indications of authoritarianism which are still being displayed by the government during the era of reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998.

Jakarta – Former Papuan political prisoner Filep Karma says that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo promised to release all Papuan political prisoners during his administration. Widodo made this pledge, said Karma, to five of his fellow political prisoners in Jayapura, Papua, who were release in 2015.

Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch group Imparsial is asking the government to review the planned involvement of active TNI (Indonesian military) and Polri (Indonesian police) officers in the Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education (BPIP).

Jayapura – On Friday June 12 the group Papuan People and Student Solidarity (SMRP) went to the Papua chief public prosecutor's office in Jayapura carrying a coffin.

Judge: We sentence you to 12 years in prison and a fine.

Defendant: But I didn’t mean to do it.

Judge: Yeah okay then, one year in prison.

Prosecutors demanded Friday that two police officers – Chief Brigadier Ronny Bugis and Brigadier Rahmat Kadir – be given one-year prison terms for their involvement in a 2017 attack on senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan.