Update on Urgent Appeal, 17 August 2001
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UP-31-2001 (RE: UA-27-2001 – 19 Bandung Detainees)
INDONESIA: political detentions, police brutality, denial of right to freedom of assembly, expression, association
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Dear Friends
Following is an update from our friends in Indonesia regarding the 19 young activists detained after the labour law and oil prices protests in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. 7 of the 19 have been released thanks to efforts to date. The other 12 were denied access to lawyers and forced to sign statements by the police, and as a result are in danger of being convicted of serious offences carrying long prison terms, despite the miscarriage of justice involved. Please read this short update and send a letter to protest the unfair proceedings being used to stop these young activists from freely expressing their opinion about attacks on worker rights and unbearable costs of living. Your letter could help to free the remaining political prisoners.
Thank you for your continued action for the young workers,
Urgent Appeals Desk
** N.B. If any lawyers familiar with the relevant laws in Indonesia would like to give some advice to the lawyer for these activists, it would be appreciated and could be sent by email to the lawyer forum at
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Thanks for your solidarity messages and the urgent appeals for the release of the 19 young workers from the jail in Bandung, Indonesia. Seven students have been released thanks to the efforts of various local and international organisations.
There are still 12 young workers being kept in the jail. They were produced before the court on 14th August for the trial. The lawyers for the accused (12 young workers) pleaded that these are innocent and being victimised by the police. They also highlighted the violation of human and worker rights on various aspects. The judge hearing the arguments from the lawyers of the accused finally adjourned the case for next week. Hence they are again sent back to jail.
The 12 young workers still in jail (name, age, occupation, organisation, charges) are:
1. L.V. Mardiyono, 23, worker at PT Tiansi, YCW (Art. 170)
2. Normalinda, 22, student at UNPAD, LMND (Art. 160,170)
3. George Dominggus Hormat, 21, student at ITB, LMND (Art. 160,170)
4. Fransiskus Xavarius Farneubeun, 21, worker, PRD (Art. 160,170)
5. Kahpi, worker, PRD (Art. 170)
6. Albertus Budi Pratomo, 21, worker at PT MSP, PRD (Art. 170)
7. Hiskia Hartono, 31, student (Art. 170)
8. Edy Irwansah, 20, labourer at PT JM, YCW (Art. 170)
9. Maraden Sinaga, 23, student at UNDAP, YCW (Art. 170)
10. Deny Nugraha, 33, worker, YCW (Art. 170)
11. Wirya Wangsa Direja, 24, labourer, YCW (Art. 170)
12. Deny Kusmarna, labourer at PT Trijaya Utama, YCW (Art. 170)
The 7 students who have been released are:
1. Dindin Suherman, NGO worker at “Dewan Kota”
2. Asep Ruhyat, NGO worker at “Dewan Kota”
3. Andy Hartono, 22, student at ITB, LMND
4. Anton Jauhari, student, GPRI
5. Donny Danudirjo, 21, student at ITB, LMND
6. Yovi Wijaya, 21, student at ITB, LMND
7. Sri Darwanti, 24, student at STSI, GPK
Thanks for your continued efforts for the release of the young workers who are still in jail. Please continue to give pressure to the government here for the release of these young workers by writing again to the President of Indonesia
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Your Excellency
19 young activists from Bandung were arrested after protesting increases in oil prices and changes to the labour laws prior to your instatement as President. Twelve of these still remain in jail despite serious flaws in the arrest and detention procedures. These include the following:
1. The police forcefully obtained statements (implicating these workers as the culprits) from these young workers as soon as they were arrested without the presence of a lawyer. This is a violation of the legal procedures in Indonesia (under the ‘Kitab Hukum Acara Pidana’ Code, which specifies a lawyer must be present for charges that could result in imprisonment for one year or more) and a violation of the rights of the accused.
2. As per the Indonesian law, the accused could be kept in police custody for 14 days before the first trial. But these young workers were kept in police custody and the jail for 40 days before the first trial. This is also against the law (also under the ‘Kitab Hukum Acara Pidana’ Code).
3. Indonesia is also the signatory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But here the police and the government have denied the basic human right to freedom of assembly (Article 20). Also, they’ve denied the basic human right for a free and fair trial of the accused.
4. These young workers were brutally tortured during the process of investigation as well as in police custody. This is also violation of human rights (Article 5, UDHR) and the abuse of the power by the police.
The failure to provide a fair procedure indicates that the arrests may well be political in nature – aimed at preventing civil society from expressing concerns about the direction of Indonesia. Now that Indonesia’s struggle for democracy has put Your Excellency at the head of the country, we look to you to restore the basic rights of these young citizens. Therefore I am requesting that you arrange the immediate release of the following persons who have been held at the Police Headquarters of West Java (Polda Jawa Barat) since June 15:
1. L.V. Mardiyono, 23, worker
2. Normalinda, 22, student
3. George Dominggus Hormat, 21, student
4. Fransiskus Xavarius Farneubeun, 21, worker
5. Kahpi, worker
6. Albertus Budi Pratomo, 21, worker
7. Hiskia Hartono, 31, student
8. Edy Irwansah, 20, labourer
9. Maraden Sinaga, 23, student
10. Deny Nugraha, 33, worker
11. Wirya Wangsa Direja, 24, labourer
12. Deny Kusmarna, labourer
Yours sincerely
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SEND LETTERS TO
Mrs. Megawati Sukarnoputri
President, Republic of Indonesia
Presidential Palace, Jakarta
Istana Negara, Indonesia.
Fax: (62 21) 345 7782
SALUTATION: Your Excellency
Gen. Surojo Bimantoro
National Chief of Police
Jl. Trunojoyo
No. 3 Kebayoran Baru
Jakart Selatan
Indonesia
Tel: +(6221) 721 8001
Fax: +(6221) 720 7277
SALUTATION: Dear Gen. Bimantoro
Chief of Police
West Java Province
Fax: 62 22 7800236
SEND A COPY OF YOUR LETTER TO
Ms. Hina Jilani
Special Representative of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights defenders
c/o OHCHR-UNOG, 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Fax: 41 22 917 9006
webadmin.hchr@unog.ch
PLEASE MARK: ATT – SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR HIMA JILANI
Mr. Asmara Nababan
Secretary General
Komnas HAM
Jl. Latuharhary No. 4B Menteng
Jakarta Pusat
FAX: (62 21) 392 5227
EMAIL: info@komnas.go.id
SALUTATION: Dear Mr. Nababan
YCW Indonesia (send solidarity letters and a copy of protest letters)
Email: and
