Seven indigenous Papuans found guilty of treason and sentenced to 10 months

On 21 April 2022, judges of the Jayapura District Court found the seven defendants, Mr Aser Rumere, Mr Yukila Tabuni, Mr Kundrat Rumkorem, Mr Abraham Rumkorem (Trial No: 530/Pid.B/2021/PN Jap), Mr Isak Samuel Usior, Mr Yanus Kogoya, and Mr Septinus Rumere (see photo, source: Jubi) guilty of treason as regulated under Article 106 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP). The article carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or a maximum of twenty. They were sentenced to ten months imprisonment. The sentence is to be reduced by the period of detention. All defendants were released four days after the verdict.  

Indonesian military members arrested a group of twelve Papuans (see table below) near the village of Skofro, Keerom Regency, on 15 July 2021. The soldiers stopped the group (see photo, source: independent human rights defender) in a pick-up truck driving from the Papua New Guinea border to Skofro. Nine arrestees are alleged to be affiliated with the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPN PB), an armed resistance group fighting for West Papua’s political independence. They are believed to have participated in a TPN PB meeting at the Victoria TPN PB headquarters in Papua New Guinea near the border. The military members reportedly found several TPN PB member cards and notes taken during the meeting.

Table with names of Papuans arrested in the Keerom Regency on 14 July 2021: