The Asian Human Rights Commission says the United Nations must intervene in the Indonesian province of West Papua where eight medical workers have been charged with incitement and objectionable acts after what the watchdog says was a peaceful protest.
The workers protested after incentive payments they'd received for the previous five years were withdrawn last year by the provincial governor.
The Commission says it's concerned at the ongoing criminal procedures conducted against the workers for organising a peaceful protest and it wants the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression to step in.
It says criminal charges against peaceful protesters have increased in Papua and West Papua in recent years and several political protesters have been jailed.
