Tomorrow, April 24, 2020, the case of the Jakarta 6 shall be closed with a final verdict from the judge. The six political prisoners were charged with treason for carrying out peaceful actions in front of the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on August 28, 2019 in which they denounced racism against Papuans.
The Jakarta 6 (Surya Anta Ginting, Dano Anes Tabuni, Ambrosius Mulait, Charles Kossay, Isay Wenda, and Arina Elopere) are among the 63 political prisoners unlawfully detained by Indonesian authorities and charged with treason (makar) under Article 106 and/or Article 110 of Indonesia’s Criminal Code, which can carry a sentence of up to 20 years.
The prisoners are 56 indigenous West Papuans, five Moluccans, one Indonesian, and one Polish citizen. Human rights lawyers Jen Robinson and Veronica Koman have recently filed an urgent appeal to the UN to release the 63 political prisoners in Indonesia amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Merdeka West Papua Support Network endorses the following invitation from Tapol, Papuan Behind Bars, and Papua Itu Kita to an online global protest to free West Papuan political prisoners:
Get involved in the global campaign to free political prisoners from today (Thursday, 4/23/2020) until tomorrow (Friday 4/24/2020) by:
1. Posting messages of solidarity on social media to demand that the Indonesian Government immediately release all political prisoners.
You can attach our poster (see below), take a photo of you or with your friends, and use the hashtags #BebaskanTapol#FreePapuanPoliticalPrisoners.
Share these on your social media accounts with our tag on @ ... (You can go to the president, judge, police, etc.)
2. Invite your friends and / or networks to join the campaign by posting on their own social media accounts. Peaceful Protests are Human Rights!