URGENT ACTION

SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN PRISON FOR POSTING FB VIDEO 
Agustinus Yolemal, a Papuan pro-independence activist was convicted for inciting hatred and hostility and sentenced to 1 year’s imprisonment by the Timika District Court in Papua Province on 14 January 2019. He has decided not to file appeal as he is concerned about the safety of his family as well as the boy who was implicated in the video he posted on Facebook. Detained since September 2018, Agustinus Yolemal will serve another 8 months in prison.

NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.

On 14 January 2019, Agustinus Yolemal, a peaceful pro-independence Papuan activist, was sentenced to 1 year’s imprisonment by Timika District Court in Mimika, Papua Province for posting a video on Facebook. Agustinus was charged and sentenced for “disseminating hostility against the state ideology” under Article 45a (2) of Law on Electronic Information and Transaction (ITE Law) which carries a maximum sentence of six years’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to one billion rupiah (around US$66,700).

Agustinus Yolemal was arrested on 23 August 2018 at his home in Timika, Mimika District, Papua Province after a video of him and his 6-year old son jointly voicing slogans about Papua independence went viral. Following his arrest, the police also interrogated his son, wife and sister-in-law. While his family members were released, Agustinus was formally charged under the ITE Law. 

Concerned about the safety of his son who was implicated in the video he posted on Facebook, Agustinus has decided not to file appeal. Detained since 23 August 2018, Agustinus Yolemal will serve another 8 months in prison. 

Through his lawyer, Agustinus Yolemal told Amnesty International that he had received relatively good treatment from the police during his pre-trial detention and believes it was due to the appeal letters sent by activists to the Indonesian authorities.

NAME AND PREFFERED PRONOUN: Agustinus Yolemal (he/him)

THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL OUTPUT FOR UA 165/18

LINK TO PREVIOUS UA: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa21/9048/2018/en/