Appeal against Papuan Congress treason convictions launched

Appeal against Papuan Congress treason convictions launched

by westpapuamedia

From West Papua Media sources in Jayapura

EXCLUSIVE

March 19, 2012

After an Indonesian court on March 16 sentenced five Congress leaders guilty of Makar (treason) three years in prison each, lawyers for the men have today launched a formal appeal against the sentences in the Jayapura Class 1a district court.

The five defendants, Forkorus Yaboisembut, Edison Waromi, Selfius Bobii, Dominikus Sorabut, and Agus Kraar, were leaders and organisers of the Third Papuan People’s Congress held on October 19 2011, which was brutally broken up by Indonesian security forces after Forkorus - the Chairman of the Papuan Tribal Council elected as President of the Federated Republic of West Papua – unilaterally reaffirmed West Papua’s independence from Indonesia.

An SMS just sent to West Papua Media from the legal team defending the five men said "promptly at 15:00 (West Papua time), our team of legal advisors has stated appeals in Class IA Jayapura District Court in connection with the Makar case on behalf Forkorus, et al, against 3 year prison sentence imposed by the judges of (the) Court, for being convicted of a crime of attempted treason".

The SMS stated that the crimes the men were convicted under "also referred to in Article 106 of the Criminal Code, Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code, together with Article 53 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code, (we have lodged) a statement of appeal of the verdict of Class IA Jayapura District Court"

"This judgement does not have the force of law, then the case must be reviewed by the Jayapura High Court Judge," according to the SMS.

"The reason we (have) appealed the decision of the Court of Jayapura (is because it is) essentially inconsistent with the facts of the trial, both from witnesses, evidence and the testimony of the defendant," the legal team said. "Also it is not in agreement with the Book of the Law of Criminal Procedure."

The date that the appeal is set down to be heard is not known at the time of publication, as the lodged appeal had yet to be processed by the court.

westpapuamedia

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westpapuamedia | March 19, 2012 at 5:38 pm | Tags: Congress, Criminal code, Edison Waromi, FEDERAL REPUBLIC WEST PAPUA, Forkorus Yaboisembut, human rights, indonesia, Jayapura, Makar, Papua, Papuan people, SMS, united nations, west papua, West Papuan | Categories: News alert, Urgent Action | URL: http://wp.me/p1aPlR-1jj

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