URGENT ACTION

GRAVE HEALTH FEARS FOR DETAINED PAPUAN ACTIVIST 
Victor Yeimo, a pro-independence political activist from Papua and a spokesman for the West Papua National Committee, was arbitrarily arrested on 9 May 2021 and charged with treason for peacefully protesting racial discrimination. Held in solitary confinement, there are serious concerns about his deteriorating health and unrestricted access to health services and facilities must urgently be made available to him. The Indonesian authorities must immediately release Victor Yeimo and drop all charges against him, unless recognisable criminal offence, in accordance with international standards of fairness. 

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

Ir. H. Joko Widodo
President Republic of Indonesia
State Secretariat
Jl. Veteran No. 17-18
Kota Jakarta Pusat, DKI Jakarta
Indonesia (10110)

Dear President Joko Widodo,

I am writing to express my grave concern for the life of Victor Yeimo, a pro-independence political activist from Papua. Arrested on 9 May 2021, he has been locked up in Mako Brimob prison in Jayapura for months under deplorable conditions which has ultimately led to his hospitalization. 

It is alarming that, throughout Mr. Yeimo’s detention, he has been held in solitary confinement in a cramped and poorly ventilated cell which has further worsened his pre-existing medical condition. With a record of lung and gastric diseases and having recently suffered from hemoptysis (coughing up blood) and heightened risk of COVID-19, we are concerned about his deteriorating health. Though he was recently taken to hospital for a medical check-up, the doctor only gave him medicine while waiting for the tests result. With limited access to his family and lawyer, there are ongoing fears that his health with continue to deteriorate as he does not get the care and treatment he requires. 

Mr Yeimo has been accused of violating the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP), namely Article 106 on treason, Article 110 of the KUHP on treason with conspiracy in relation to his involvement in protests during the period of heightened tensions in the provinces of Papua and West Papua from 19 August to 30 September 2019. It is deeply distressing that Mr. Yeimo is facing 20 years to life imprisonment for peacefully protesting racial discrimination in Indonesia.
Therefore, I urge you to:
-	Immediately release Victor Yeimo and drop all charges against him, unless there is sufficient credible and admissible evidence that he has committed an internationally recognized offence and is granted a fair trial in line with international standards;
-	Pending his release, grant Victor Yeimo prompt, regular and unrestricted access to medical care on request and as necessary; 
-	Ensure that he is protected from torture and other ill-treatment and that he has regular access to his family and a lawyer of his choice in line with the right to a fair trial. 
Yours sincerely,

Additional information

On 9 May 2021, a special police unit, Satgas Nemangkawi, arrested Victor Yeimo, a spokesman for the West Papua National Committee (Komite Nasional Papua Barat, KNPB) in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province. Police charged him with treason for a 2019 statement, made during anti-racism protests, calling for a referendum on independence.

Mr Yeimo was arrested without a warrant at 7.15pm when he was at a kiosk in Jayapura. Mr Yeimo’s lawyers received arrest and detention warrants the following day at 6pm, a breach of Indonesian criminal procedure law which requires an arrest warrant to be presented at the time of arrest.

On the first evening of his detention, Mr Yeimo was moved from Papua province’s regional police detention centre in Jayapura to the Police’s Mobile Brigade Headquarters (Mako Brimob) in Abepura, without his lawyers being notified. This move to Mako Brimob prison signified higher security and probable difficulties accessing Mr Yeimo.

His case has been handed to the prosecutor and the first trial is scheduled to take place on 24 August 2021. We are concerned that Victor’s trial might be moved to other city just as the trial of the Balikpapan 7. If this happens, then the access of the lawyers and family will be more difficult. He should be released or, instead of keeping him in the Mako Brimob isolation cell, he should be moved to the state prison during trial. 

Mr Yeimo has been accused of violating the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP), namely Article 106 on treason, Article 110 of the KUHP on treason with conspiracy. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.  

The Indonesian authorities have used these criminal code provisions, mainly Articles 106 and 110 KUHP, to prosecute several peaceful pro-independence political activists in Papua simply for peacefully exercising their human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.

Amnesty International does not take any position on the political status of any province or region in Indonesia, or any other state, including calls for independence. However, the organization believes that the right to freedom of expression, including the right to advocate for self-determination or other political issues, carried out in a peaceful manner, must be respected and protected.

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: [Bahasa Indonesia, English]
You can also write in your own language.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 20 October 2021
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PRONOUN: [He/Him].

LINK TO PREVIOUS UA: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa21/4209/2021/en/ 

Additional TARGETS

Attorney General
Dr. H. Sanitiar Burhanuddin, S.H., M.M.
Jl. Sultan Hasanuddin No. 1, Kebayoran Baru
Jakarta Selatan, DKI Jakarta
Indonesia 12160
Twitter: @KejaksaanRI
Facebook: Kejaksaan RI

And copies to:

His Excellency Dr Desra Percaya 
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia
30 Great Peter Street SW1P 2HW
020 7499 7661
Fax 020 7491 4993
kbri@btconnect.com 
www.indonesianembassy.org.uk