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)