Amnesty International Urges Release of Four Papua Activists Jailed for Treason

MAKASSAR, RAKYAT NEWS – Amnesty International Indonesia has urged the Indonesian government to immediately release four political activists from Sorong, Papua, who were convicted of treason by the Makassar District Court on Wednesday. The organization described the verdict as yet another example of the state criminalizing peaceful political expression in Papua.

Deputy Director Wirya Adiwena said the prison sentences handed down to the four men highlight an entrenched pattern of repression against Papuans who voice political views without violence. He emphasized that the activists were punished simply for peacefully delivering political letters to several government offices in Sorong.

According to Amnesty, courts should serve as the final avenue for citizens seeking justice rooted in human rights. Instead, the Makassar District Court appeared to function as an instrument to suppress the free expression of Indigenous Papuans, despite their actions being non-violent and protected under Indonesian law.

Amnesty stressed that peaceful political expression is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Indonesian Constitution—particularly Article 28E—and by international human rights treaties ratified by Indonesia, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The organization noted that the activists did not commit any violent acts, yet the state responded by charging them under broad and ambiguous treason provisions.

Law enforcement authorities had argued that the activists’ actions constituted a “crime against state security.” Amnesty dismissed this reasoning as baseless, asserting that delivering letters and expressing political claims are not criminal acts and certainly do not constitute treason.

The ruling also stands in contrast with President Joko Widodo’s recent decision to grant amnesty in August to six political prisoners involved in similar cases. Amnesty said this inconsistency underscores the government’s weak commitment to upholding human rights in dealing with political expression in Papua.

The organization called on authorities to release all four activists unconditionally. Criminalizing peaceful expression, it warned, only deepens distrust between Papuans and the state and further distances prospects for a peaceful resolution to long-standing tensions in the region.

The four activists—Abraham Goram Gaman, Piter Robaha, Nikson Mai, and Maksi Sangkek—were sentenced to seven months in prison. Prosecutors had previously sought eight months, accusing them of “committing or participating in treason” by attempting to separate part of Indonesia’s territory, as stipulated under Articles 106 and 55 of the Indonesian Criminal Code.

Their arrest followed a series of visits on 14 April 2025 to multiple government offices in Sorong, where they delivered letters from Forkorus Yaboisembut, President of the self-proclaimed West Papua Federal Republic (NFRPB). Authorities later seized organizational documents and uniforms resembling security force attire. Although the case originated in Sorong, the activists were transferred to Makassar for trial without clear justification—prompting protests from relatives and community members. Amnesty reiterated that it takes no position on the political status of any Indonesian province but firmly defends the right to peacefully express political views. (Uki)