10 Aug 2016

Papuan challenges police action in Yogyakarta

11:52 am on 10 August 2016

A Yogyakarta-based West Papuan student has filed a pretrial motion challenging the Yogyakarta Police's decision to name him a suspect in a alleged assault on state officials.

The 21-year old Obby Kogoya was one of a group of Papuan students arrested by police in the Indonesian city on Friday.

The Jakarta Post reported that the Papuans were staging a peaceful rally in support of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua's application for full membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group when police tried to disperse them.

The student was named as a suspect for alleged use of violence against state officials

Obby registered the pretrial motion through lawyers with the Yogyakarta Legal Aid Foundation who said from available evidence it appeared that it was the Papuan who was assaulted.

Papuan students in Yogyakarta have recently reported being constantly monitored by security forces since a recent series of rallies in support of the Liberation Movement