21 Oct 2011

Amnesty calls for release of Papuan congress detainees

5:19 pm on 21 October 2011

Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of 14 people detained by police in Indonesia's Papua province.

They were among hundreds arrested on Wednesday for participating in the Third Papuan People's Congress, a major gathering of leaders and tribal representatives from throughout West Papua, held in the provincial capital Jayapura.

The Congress culminated in a declaration of an independent state of West Papua.

At least five of those detained have been charged with rebellion and incitement, crimes which carry sentences of up to life imprisonment.