Sebby Sambom, Spokesperson for the National Command of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) said that Yogor Telenggen’s status as a combatant was clear. Sambom said Telenggen was a freedom fighter with arms, against his enemy military.
“Shooting takes place in areas of war conflict, between the military and the military, not the killing of civilians, therefore it cannot be categorized as premeditated murder to punish,” he said. (*)
Sebby Sambom Spokesman for TPNPB-OPM
The demands of the death penalty for Yogor Telenggen were judged to be too heavy and blurred
Reporter: Benny Mawel
Yogor Telegen is in custody of the West Papua Regional Police Mobile Brigade Command Headquarters – Jubi / Lawyer Doc
Papua No. 1 News Portal | Jubi
Jayapura, Jubi – The death penalty against Yogor Telenggen was assessed by his lawyer, Yan Christian Warinussy, as a demand that was too heavy and not in accordance with the facts of the trial. Warinussy stressed that the trial showed that his client, Telenggen, was not involved in the various violence alleged by the prosecutor.
In a hearing that took place in the Manokwari District Court on Friday (05/03/2019), the prosecutor asked the judge to declare the defendant Yellow Card Yoman aka Yogor Telenggen guilty of premeditated murder, violent theft and illegal possession of firearms.
Yogor Telenggen is a member of the armed group of the West Papua National Liberation Army. Telenggen was allegedly involved in killing three Pirime Sector Police officers, Lanny Jaya District, and on November 27, 2013 was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Jayapura District Court.
On January 8, 2016, Telenggen escaped from the Abepura Penitentiary, Jayapura City. He later joined the Enden Wanimbo group. Telenggen was arrested again in Pilia Village, Gurage District, Puncak Jaya District on May 12, 2018. Prosecutors said Telenggen was involved in the murder and seizure of a G2 Combat pistol from a TNI soldier who had taken place at Sinak Market, Puncak Jaya Regency on February 12, 2018, and requested the judge sentenced Telenggen to death.
As Telenggen’s attorney, Yan Christian Warinussy stated that his client was only involved in one of the five incidents of violence alleged by the prosecutor. Telenggen admitted he was involved in the shooting of a Trigana plane at Mulia airport, the capital of Puncak Jaya Regency.
However, Telenggen was not involved in the shooting of TNI soldiers in Sinak Market, Puncak Jaya, as charged by the prosecutor. Telenggen also stated that he was not involved in the attack on the Pirime police station in Lanny Jaya Regency.
Warinussy said his team was drafting a defense for the death sentence demands for Telenggen. In that defense, Warinussy will ask for consideration of judges on the status of Yogor Telenggen as a combatant for freedom fighters, and not civilians who commit general crimes.
Warinussy reminded that if the prosecutor’s death sentence was granted, the public in Papua would compare the Telenggen sentence to the punishment of TNI soldiers who were proven to have shot civilians in Papua.
“This is the first time in history that a severe sentence has been imposed on freedom fighters by going hard. Yogor is a combatant so that he cannot be a general criminal. “Yogor shoots people who hold weapons, their enemies,” Warinussy said.
Sebby Sambom, Spokesperson for the National Command of the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) said that Yogor Telenggen’s status as a combatant was clear. Sambom said Telenggen was a freedom fighter with arms, against his enemy military.
“Shooting takes place in areas of war conflict, between the military and the military, not the killing of civilians, therefore it cannot be categorized as premeditated murder to punish,” he said. (*)
Editor: Aryo Wisanggeni G