Jakarta – Hundreds of Papuan students from the East Java cities of Malang and Surabaya held an action on Tuesday August 18 commemorating the racist incident that befell them one year ago.

Jakarta – Arbi M. Nur, a student from the Khairun University (Unkhair) in Ternate, North Maluku, who was expelled by the university after taking part in a free Papua protest action, has now been charged with treason.

Jakarta – Papuan activists and former political prisoner (tapol) Surya Anta has revealed that his first upload from a series of tweets (thread) on conditions at the Salemba prison in Central Jakarta posted on his Twitter social media account has suddenly disappeared.

Jakarta – Papua activist Surya Anta was released from prison in August after serving a nine-month sentence for makar (treason, subversion, rebellion). After leaving the jail, the former Papuan political prisoner (tapol) shared his experience while he was in Salemba prison in Central Jakarta.

Tsarina Maharani, Jakarta – House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III member Taufik Basari from the National Democratic Party (Nasdem) has criticised the sentences demanded by the Balikpapan state prosecutor in a recent case of alleged makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) over the Morning Star flag being flown by Papuans.

Devina Halim, Jakarta – Wahid Foundation Director Yenny Wahid believes that flying the Morning Star flag is not an act of makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) and that the Papuan people have a special right to use regional symbols as enshrined under law.

Jakarta – The Papuan Coalition for Upholding the Law and Human Rights is urging the police to stop criminalising the Papuan people through the makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) articles if they do not want the term political prisoner (tapol) to be used anymore in Indonesia.

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The panel of judges at the Balikpapan District Court in East Kalimantan found seven Papuan political prisoners guilty of treason during the sentence hearing which took place on Wednesday June 17.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders says that thousands of human rights (HAM) activists advocating Papuan issues have been victims of violence under the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. There have been at least 72 cases of legal violations and violence against them.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders is calling for the release of seven Papuan defendants who are being tried on treason charges at the Balikpapan District Court in East Kalimantan.

RR Ukirsari Manggalani and Stephanus Aranditio – The Papua-Aceh Student Association (HIMAPA) in the Achenese provincial capital of Banda Aceh is urging President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to unconditionally release all Papuan political prisoners.

Reza Gunadha and Yosea Arga Pramudita – Demonstrators from the Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (Tapol) held a protest action at the Aspiration Park and the Supreme Court (MA) in Central Jakarta on Monday June 15.

Jakarta – Demonstrations demanding the release of seven Papuans being tried on treason charges at the Balikpapan District Court in East Kalimantan were not just held in Jakarta. Similar actions were also held simultaneously in several other parts of the country on Monday June 15.

Rakhmat Nur Hakim, Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Director Asfinawati says that there are three indications of authoritarianism which are still being displayed by the government during the era of reformasi – the political reform process that began in 1998.

Jakarta – Former Papuan political prisoner Filep Karma says that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo promised to release all Papuan political prisoners during his administration. Widodo made this pledge, said Karma, to five of his fellow political prisoners in Jayapura, Papua, who were release in 2015.

Ali Umar – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo must change the government’s approach in resolving the Papua problem. At the start of his first term in office, Widodo managed to offer a new hope in efforts to find a dignified solution in Papua. He granted amnesty to Papuan political prisoners and guaranteed the upholding of human rights there.

Arjuna Pademme, Jakarta – The family of Papuan treason defendant Buchtar Tabuni says the 17 year prison sentence being demanding by the public prosecutor is unjust.

Jakarta – Another hammer-and-sickle flag case has again raised its head after a flag with the communist logo was found in Makassar. Over the years such cases have occurred unintentionally, have related to scholarly studies, hoaxes intended to trigger unrests, criminalisation of activists and the revival of identity politics.

Sorong – Four defendants charged with treason in Sorong City, West Papua province, were finally declared guilty and sentenced to eight months and 15 days jail at the Sorong District Court on Thursday May 28.

[The following is a translation of a press release issued by the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) following the release of five Papuan political prisoners on May 27.]