More KNPB activists arrested in West Papua
More KNPB activists arrested in West Papua
Local media (suarapapua.com ) has reported the
arrests of up to 31 KNPB activists in Jayapura on Friday the
10 June. Those arrested were simply handing out leaflets
informing the public about an upcoming rally to be held on
the 15 June.
Joe Collins of AWPA said, “ in the past
month the security forces have cracked down on a number of
peaceful rallies in West Papua. On the 2 May over 1800
people were arrested and approximately 500 people were
arrested in the days leading up to and on the 31 May “.
These arrests go against the principles laid down in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights which
states,
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and
expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions
without interference and to seek, receive and impart
information and ideas through any media and regardless of
frontiers. (Article 19)
Everyone has the right to freedom
of peaceful assembly and association. (Article 20)
Joe
Collins said AWPA said, “Hopefully the security forces
will allow any rallies that take place on the 15 June to go
ahead peacefully without more mass arrests as in the
past.”
Ends