16 Jan 2009

Amnesty International calls for release of Manokwari Eleven in Papua

11:59 am on 16 January 2009

Amnesty International says the imprisonment of 11 West Papuans in Indonesia for displaying the banned Morning Star flag breaches provisions of Papua's Special Autonomy Law.

The 11 were arrested last March for hoisting the flag, which is a symbol of Papuan independence, during a series of peaceful public demonstrations.

Prominent activist Jack Wanggai was sentenced to three-and-a-half years and 10 others were given three year sentences by the High Court in Manokwari this month.

Amnesty has called for the release of all those arrested for peaceful flag-raisings in Papua.

Amnesty's New Zealand spokesperson, Margaret Taylor, says the 2001 Special Autonomy Law that granted Papuans the right to express their cultural identity is being breached by the court's actions and the 2007 regulation underpinning the case.

"In 2007 there was a government regulation that denied Papuans from displaying separatist logos or flags. But that regulation is in breach of the Special Autonomy Law and it's certainly in breach of international human rights law, and the basic right to freedom of expression as well."

Margaret Taylor of Amnesty International.