Friday, March 4, 2011

Amnesty urges govt. to investigate Papua journalist stabbing

mar 30 hayat Amnesty urges govt. to investigate Papua journalist stabbing

International rights group Amnesty International has strongly urged the Indonesian government to promptly investigate the stabbing of journalist Banjir Ambarita, which took place in Jayapura on March 3.

Banjir, a journalist for a local newspaper, Bintang Papua, and a regular contributor for two national media outlets, was reportedly stabbed at around 1 a.m. while heading home on his motorcycle.

Reliable sources told Amnesty International that when he was in front of Jayapura Mayors office two men on a motorcycle approached him, stabbed him twice in the chest and stomach, and sped off, Amnesty said in a press release sent to The Jakarta Post.

He had managed to ride his motorcycle to the nearest police station. Officers there took him to Marthen Indey Hospital in Aryoko, Jayapura, where he underwent surgery and is still under recovery.

Amnesty also urged the government to bring the perpetrators to justice in accordance with international fair trial standards and to take immediate steps to provide appropriate protection to Banjir Ambarita, according to his wishes.

Banjir recently published stories on two alleged rape cases involving police officers. The first case involved the torture and rape of a 15-year-old girl in Biak by four police officers and three civilians.

The next case involved a woman detainee who was forced to perform oral sex by three police officers over a three-month period from November 2010 to January 2011, at Jayapura Police detention centre in Papua province.

Amnesty urged the government to initiate an independent investigation into the two reported rape cases.

It also urged the government to take measures to ensure that all human rights defenders in Papua, including local journalists, can work freely, independently and with full protection from state authorities.