Manase Baho is a student at Universitas Muhammadiyah in Sorong. Police arrested Mr Baho, along with Yoseph Syufi on 18th September 2019, when they were leading a group of protesters from Universitas Kristen Papua to join another group of protesters. The plan was for the groups to march to the Mayor’s Office. Mr. Baho delivered a notification of Protest letter to police two days prior to a pro-West Papuan independence protest to be conducted in Sorong. This protest was part of the broader political uprising which swept across West Papua from 19 August to 23 September 2019. On the day of the protest, Mr Bahbo was wearing a Morning Star Sticker.
Mr. Baho’s arrest and ongoing detention are arbitrary because they were and are founded solely on the basis of Mr Baho 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 where the prosecutors stated its demands of one year and four months in jail on charges of treason for Mr. Baho and three others.
Mr Baho was sentenced to 8 months and 15 days on 27 May 2020 and was released at the end of the month.
