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Pressure Indonesian President to Release Papuan Prisoners of Conscience

Please urge the President of Indonesia to bring about the immediate and unconditional release of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage. For peacefully raising a flag, Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage may spend the next decade or more in prison in Indonesia. In December 2004, about 200 people participated in a nonviolent ceremony outside Abepura in Papua, Indonesia. Part of the annual ceremony was raising the "Morning Star" flag, a traditional Papuan symbol of independence. Police fired on the crowd and Karma was beaten on the way to the police station. Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage were sentenced to 15 and 10 years respectively. Amnesty International considers Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage to be prisoners of conscience who have been detained for the peaceful and legitimate exercise of their right to freedom of expression.

A sample letter has been provided, but please be encouraged to add your own thoughts.

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Message Recipients

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono - President of Indonesia

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Dear (recipient name),

I am deeply concerned about Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage, who were arrested in December 2004 for their participation in a peaceful flag-raising ceremony in Papua province. Filep Karma is serving a 15-year sentence and Yusak Pakage is serving a 10-year sentence on charges of treason.  Amnesty International considers them to be prisoners of conscience and is calling for their immediate and unconditional release.

On 1 December 2004, some 200 people took part in a peaceful ceremony outside Abepura, during which the Morning Star flag, a symbol of Papuan independence, was raised in commemoration of the declaration of Papuan independence in 1962. When the flag was raised, police advanced on the crowd, firing shots and beating people with batons. Police arrested Filep Karma and reportedly beat and stomped on him during transport to the police station. A group of about 20 people were later arrested at the police station while protesting Filep Karma’s arrest. This group was subsequently released, except for Yusak Pakage, who remained in detention. In May 2005, the two men were convicted in connection with the flag-raising event and sentenced to long prison terms.

I urge you to release Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage and to make a public commitment that there will be no further arrests of individuals purely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression, opinion, belief or association. Specifically, I ask you to ensure that laws concerning "rebellion" (Articles 106 and 110 of the Indonesian Criminal Code) are not used against people who have engaged only in peaceful activities.  I also urge you to ensure that Yusak Pakage and all other prisoners are provided adequate access to medical care and treatment.

While I do not seek to advocate a particular position on the political status of Papua, I believe the right to freedom of expression includes the right to peacefully advocate referenda, independence or other political solutions. These rights must be upheld.

I thank you for your attention to this matter.

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