13 Jan 2003

Call for Indonesian suspects in Eluay killing to be released

5:36 pm on 13 January 2003

Lawyers for seven Indonesian soldiers accused of killing the Papuan separatist leader, Theys Eluay, say the case against them is flawed and should be thrown out.

The Jakarta Post quotes one lawyer as saying the prosecution failed to lay out the charges accurately.

He says the prosecution claims that Chief Eluay was found dead in the middle seat of his vehicle while also saying he was strangled in the front seat.

The seven members of the elite Kopassus force are being tried in Surabaya for allegedly killing Chief Eluay near Jayapura in November of 2001.

If found guilty, they could be jailed for up to 15 years.