Andinus Karoba, an activist belonging to the Koteka Council of Indigenous Peoples (Dewan Masyarakat Adat Koteka, Demmak), is currently serving a one year and ten month sentence in Abepura prison under charges of Article 365(2) of the Indonesian Criminal Code and Law 8/1981 for theft accompanied by use of force.
A report received by a local human rights activist states that on 10 October 2012, Karoba was stopped and forcibly arrested by police intelligence officers who took him to Jayapura Regional police station. He was shot three times in the calf and thigh while his hands and feet were tied on the way to the police station. He was detained and kept in isolation for two months in Jayapura Regional police station while awaiting trial, and was allegedly handcuffed throughout the duration of his detention. He was also reportedly denied family visits and was not given medical treatment for his gunshot wounds.
The report states that despite allegations of theft, police interrogated him regarding pro-independence activities, unrelated to any suspicions of theft. There was also no mention of stolen items in the police investigation report. Throughout his trial, Karoba was denied a lawyer and his family members were reportedly not allowed to attend the trial. Reports from local activists state that Karoba has declined medical treatment in Abepura prison as he is fearful of potential abuse at the hands of the authorities, similar to the brutal treatment he previously endured in detention in Jayapura Regional police station.
According to Karoba, he was targeted by the police due to his family history. His family was part of the 1977 mass exodus to Papua New Guinea to escape Indonesian military brutality and as a consequence he was allegedly branded as a member of the Free Papua Movement (Organisasi Papua Merdeka, OPM). The report claims that Karoba’s work with Demmak caused police to single him out as a target for arrest.
On 12 February, he was released on parole and is the required to report to the Jayapura Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights for three months.
Sources
A report received by a local human rights investigator entitled “Kronologis Andinus Karoba.” Andinus Karoba, seorang aktivis dari Dewan Masyarakat Adat Koteka (Demmak), pada saat ini sedang menjalani hukuman satu tahun dan sepuluh bulan di LP Abepura setelah divonis di bawah Pasal 365 (2) KUHP dan UU 8/1981 atas kesalahan mencuri dengan menggunakan kekerasan.
Sebuah laporan yang diterima dari aktivis HAM setempat menyatakan bahwa pada tanggal 10 Oktober 2012, Karoba ditahan paksa dan ditangkap oleh anggota kepolisian intel yang membawanya ke Polres Jayapura. Ia dilaporkan ditembak tiga kali di betis dan paha, sementara tangan dan kakinya diikat dalam perjalanan ke Polres. Dalam tahanan selama dua bulan di Polres Jayapura, dia dilaporkan telah diisolasikan sementaramenunggu persidangan dan diborgol sepanjang masa penahanannya. Mengikut laporan tersebut, dia ditolak kunjungan dari keluarganya oleh pihak berkuasa, dan juga tidak diberi akses ke perawatan medis untuk luka-luka tembak dihadapinya.
Laporan tersebut juga menyatakan bahwa meskipun Karoba didakwa atas kesalahan pencurian, polisi menginterogasinya mengenai kegiatan pro-kemerdekaan yang tidak ada hubungan dengan kesalahan tersebut. Lansung barang yang diduga dicuri tidak disebut dalam laporan investigasi polisi. Sepanjang persidangan, Karoba ditolak pengacara dan ahli keluarganya dilaporkan tidak benarkan untuk menghadiri persidangan. Laporan dari aktivis HAM setempat menyatakan bahwa Karoba telah menolak perawatan medis di penjara Abepura karena takut disiksa dalam tahanan di tangan pihak berkuasa, seperti dengan perlakuan brutal sebelumnya yang dialaminya dalam penahanan di Polres Jayapura.
Menurut Karoba, ia ditarget oleh polisi karena sejarah keluarganya. Keluarganya adalah diantara massa yang telah melarikan diri pada tahun 1977 ke Papua New Guinea untuk melepaskan dari kekejaman TNIdi Papua Barat. Oleh yang demikian, ia dipercayai sebagai ahli Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM) dan pekerjaannya dengan Demmak menyebabkannyamenjadi sasaran polisi untuk ditangkap.
Sumber
Laporan dari aktivis HAM setempatdari laporan berjudul “Kronologis Andinus Karoba.”