Australian Free Papua Movement presses on the Indonesian Government to Free Buchtar Tabuni

The ULMWP has called for Urgent action to help Free West Papuan Political prisoner Buchtar Tabuni.

Buchtar Tabuni was arrested last year 2019 and is facing 17 years imprisonment for suspected treason. Buchtar holds two high profile positions in the Free Papua Movement hence the reason he has been jailed. He has been accused of masterminding student protests in West Papua.

Targeting high profile West Papuan Independence leaders is not a new tactic, in fact Indonesian security forces have been doing this for years (Please refer to our Remember West Papua Album). They have carried out horrendous actions against West Papuans with total impunity. A lot of the independence leaders in West Papua have in the past tried to hold peace talks with Indinesia and the UN but instead of keeping to their end of the bargain, Indonesia uses the opportunity to kill them (once they were out in the open).

Recently, they have carried out arrests without proper notice and reason as was the case of Buchtar Tabuni who was arrested in the comfort of his own home.

We call on the Indonesian government to Free Buchtar Tabuni and other political prisoners and to remember Indonesia’s obligation under international human rights law and in national legislation.

For more information on Buchtar’s role in the independence movement please visit www.ulmwp.org