Nabire demonstration 2009

06/04/2009

The West Papua National Committee (Komisi Nasional Papua Barat, KNPB) set up a camp in Bunga Bangsa park in Nabire, in order to organise a demonstration on 6 April 2009. However, at 05:00 while people were still sleeping the police raided the camp, beating and arresting 15 men. It seems likely that many of the men were not political activists at all but were simply sleeping at the camp where they had been drinking the night before. All reported being tortured at the Nabire police headquarters, where they were charged with treason and held until they were acquitted five months later. A woman was arrested at the same demonstration and charged with incitement, for allegedly yelling “attack.” Several years later in 2012 the original acquittals were overturned by the Supreme Court, which handed down three year sentences for the fifteen men.

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