Papua rights activist questioned

Papua rights activist questioned

JAKARTA (JP): The director of the Irian Jaya office of the
Institute for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (ELSHAM),
Johanes G. Bonay, was questioned at the Jayapura Police station
on Saturday for allegedly slandering the police.

As of Saturday afternoon, Johanes was still at the station
awaiting the results of the police investigation.

"I am still at the police station. I've been asked to wait
here for the results of the investigation," he said as quoted by
koridor.com on Saturday at 1 p.m.

This was the second day Jayapura Police had questioned
Johanes. The rights activist was questioned from 4:30 p.m. to 10
p.m. on Friday, and then for another two hours on Saturday.

Johanes said the questions asked by the officers mainly
concerned those people who had filed complaints with the rights
watchdog, and the contents of their complaints.

He said the police would charge him under Article 311 of the
Criminal Code and Article 310 of the same code on slander.

Johanes is accused of slandering the police, including the
elite Mobile Brigade, in a printed statement issued by ELSHAM on
Thursday. The statement said the police had been involved in "a
murder" during a police raid following an attack on the Abepura
Police station on Dec. 7.

The officers, according to the statement, arbitrarily searched
and arrested several people, intimidated and attacked residents
and stole their belongings.

Two Jayapura residents -- John Karunggu, an 18-year-old
student, and Orry Doringgi, a 17-year-old high school student --
died during the police raid.

The statement also said the police stole Rp 10 million
(US$1,052) in cash from an Abepura resident.

The police had yet to decide on Saturday whether to continue
detaining Johanes for further questioning. (bby)