Papuans facing subversion charges: journalists warned not to

By WPNews Nov 3, 2008, 02:09

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According to a report in Jawa Pos, the local deputy police chief in
Jayapura has prohibited journalists from reporting anything about
investigations into a subversion case. The police officer warned that if
journalists persist in pursuing this case, they could be the victims of an
accident on their way home (bisa mengalami kecelakaan saat pulang).

The warning came as TV journalists were in the office of the director of
criminal investigation of the Papua police.

The journalists were intending to follow the questioning of several
persons as witnesses in the case of the head of the Dewan Adat Papua,
Forkorus Yoboisembut, the general secretary of the Dewan Adat, Leonard
Imbiri, and the chairman of the committee for International
Parliamentarians for West Papua, Buchtar Tabuni.

'Dont investigate this question in the area of Polda (local police force).
Your motorcycle could end up having a crash.' said Borent, the deputy
director.

The journalists have been seen sitting together, trying to decide how they
should respond to this threat.

The head of public relations of the police, Agus Rianto has expressed his
apologies if anything untoward happens to any journalists.

We have also seen the heading of a report in Jawa Pos as follows: Two
persons are declared suspects on charges of subversion in Papua, but have
not be able to access the full reports.