Ethus Miwak Kareth is a student at Universitas Muhammadiyah in Sorong. Police arrested Mr. Kareth, along with Ruruk Rianto on 18th September 2019, shortly after he had delivered a speech to a group of protestors. At the time, Mr. Kareth was waiting for another group of protesters to join the group he was leading before then marching to the Mayor’s Office. Mr. Kareth was wearing a Morning Star sticker. He was arrested by Sorong Police Resort .
His arrest and the ongoing detention are arbitrary because they were and are founded solely on the basis of Mr. Kareth having exercised his internationally protected rights to freedom of expression and/or assembly (by organising and/or participating in a peaceful protest, in addition to wearing and/or waving a Morning Star flag). In addition, he was arrested without any warrant.
His trial began on 5th March 2020 in Sorong, West Papua province. The trial continued on 13th May 2020 in which the prosecutors demanded one year and four months in jail on charges of treason for Mr. Kareth and three others.
Mr. Kareth was sentenced to 8 months and 15 days on 27 May 2020 and was released at the end of the month after serving full sentence.
