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Indonesia: Environment activists in Tumpang Pitu sentenced to 10-month imprisonment
Asian Human Rights Commission Urgent Appeal - February 8, 2018
Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information regarding the Banyuwangi district court's sentence of Mr. Heri Budiawan alias Budi Pego, an environment activist, to 10-months imprisonment. In addition, three other activists as well as community members also have been named as suspects, and an investigation is still going on. Budi Pego along with the local community of Sumberagung village conducted advocacy efforts to stop the mining operation in Tumpang Pitu, Banyuwangi regency, East Java province. They called for the protection of the environment, but were criminally charged with crimes against the State. Budi and the other three activists/community members were falsely accused of putting and circulating the Communism logo (hammer and sickle) on their anti-mining banners.
Updated information:
On Tuesday, 23 January 2018, the judges of Banyuwangi district court sentenced Mr. Heri Budiawan (also known as Budi Pego) on the charges of spreading Communist ideology. The judges sentenced him to 10-month imprisonment, a much lower sentence than the prosecutor's petition of seven years.
The case began on 4 March 2017, when Budi Pego and the local community of Sumberagung village, Pesanggrahan sub-district organized a peaceful protest, displaying banners of "reject mining" against the Bumi Suksesindo Company (PT. Bumi Suksesindo/PT BSI) in Tumpang Pitu, Banyuwangi regency. Budi Pego and the local community displayed the banners along the road of Pulau Merah until the Pesanggrahan sub-district office. Suddenly, at 12 p.m., five unknown persons carrying cameras approached the community members, and gave two banners to them. The unknown persons requested the community to display these two banners as well, and then took some pictures of them.
According to some witnesses, it is impossible for Budi Pego or the locals to put the Communist hammer and sickle logo on the banners, as the police officers guarding the protest would immediately have arrested them. This did not occur.
Moreover, the public prosecutor was not able to present the two Communist banners as evidence during the trial process in Banyuwangi district court. The judges have ignored this lack of evidence and merely considered the expert testimony presented by the public prosecutors, while ignoring the expert testimony presented by the public defenders. The expert presented by the public defenders stated that the hammer and sickle in the banner shown in the court through video is not enough and cannot be included as a proper evidence without the two original banners. The expert added that the local community involved in the peaceful anti-mining protest had not said a single word about Communism or Marxism.
Besides Mr. Budi Pego, in total there are three more local environment activists who have been named as suspects: Mr. Cipto Andreas, Mr. Trimanto and Ms. Dwiratnasari. The police charged them using article 107a of Law No 27 of 1999 on the revision of the Criminal Law related to crimes against the State. In Article 107 a, it states that "Anyone who publicly violates the law with oral, written and/or through any media, disseminates or teaches Communism/Marxism-Leninism in any kind of forms is punishable by a maximum of 12 (twelve) years imprisonment."
Additional information:
Communism is still used as a tool to restrict or even criminally charge human rights defenders who critique and advocate against the government policy not in favor of human rights and rule of law. Last year the AHRC also noted human rights violations committed by anti communist mobs against human rights groups, for instance forced dissolution and brutal attack against public discussion organized by the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, Jakarta Legal Aid and association of victims and family of victims 1965-1966 massacre (AHRC-UAC-130-2017). We also documented and reported harassment and forced dissolution of movie screenings and workshops organized by civil society in some provinces of Indonesia such as West Java, Yogyakarta and East Java province.
Suggested action:
Please write to the authorities listed below. Ask them to ensure that all criminal charges against Mr. Heri Budiawan, known as Budi Pego, an environment activist and a villager of Sumber Agung village, Banyuwangi, East Java Province, must be evaluated by the High Court of East Java province and the Supreme Court under fair trial principles. We also urge the police to stop any criminal charges against three other environment activists and also local community members, considering that under Indonesian law number 32 of 1999 on Environmental Protection, article 66 states, "Everybody struggling for a right to proper and healthy environment may not be charged with criminal or civil offense." Furthermore, the government must immediately conduct legal audit upon the mining company operated in Tumpang Pitu, and the audit must be transparent, accountable and accessible for public (in particular local community) and media. Local community's input and information about environmental damages due to mining operation in Tumpang Pitu must also be considered by the government.
The AHRC will write a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers and the Independent Expert on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, calling for their intervention into this matter.
To support this case, please click here: http://www.urgentappeals.net/support.php?ua=AHRC-UAU-001-2018
Sample letter:
Dear ___________,
Indonesia: Environment activists in Tumpang Pitu sentenced for ten month imprisonment
On Tuesday, 23 January 2018, the judges of Banyuwangi district court sentenced Mr. Heri Budiawan (also known as Budi Pego) on the charges of spreading Communist ideology. The judges sentenced him to 10-month imprisonment, a much lower sentence than the prosecutor's petition of seven years.
The case began on 4 March 2017, when Budi Pego and the local community of Sumberagung village, Pesanggrahan sub-district organized a peaceful protest, displaying banners of "reject mining" against the Bumi Suksesindo Company (PT. Bumi Suksesindo/PT BSI) in Tumpang Pitu, Banyuwangi regency. Budi Pego and the local community displayed the banners along the road of Pulau Merah until the Pesanggrahan sub-district office. Suddenly, at 12 p.m., five unknown persons carrying cameras approached the community members, and gave two banners to them. The unknown persons requested the community to display these two banners as well, and then took some pictures of them.
According to some witnesses, it is impossible for Budi Pego or the locals to put the Communist hammer and sickle logo on the banners, as the police officers guarding the protest would immediately have arrested them. This did not occur.
Moreover, the public prosecutor was not able to present the two Communist banners as evidence during the trial process in Banyuwangi district court. The judges have ignored this lack of evidence and merely considered the expert testimony presented by the public prosecutors, while ignoring the expert testimony presented by the public defenders. The expert presented by the public defenders stated that the hammer and sickle in the banner shown in the court through video is not enough and cannot be included as a proper evidence without the two original banners. The expert added that the local community involved in the peaceful anti-mining protest had not said a single word about Communism or Marxism.
Besides Mr. Budi Pego, in total there are three more local environment activists who have been named as suspects: Mr. Cipto Andreas, Mr. Trimanto and Ms. Dwiratnasari. The police charged them using article 107a of Law No 27 of 1999 on the revision of the Criminal Law related to crimes against the State. In Article 107 a, it states that "Anyone who publicly violates the law with oral, written and/or through any media, disseminates or teaches Communism/Marxism-Leninism in any kind of forms is punishable by a maximum of 12 (twelve) years imprisonment."
Therefore, I respectfully request you to ensure that all criminal charges against Mr. Heri Budiawan, known as Budi Pego, an environment activist and a villager of Sumber Agung village, Banyuwangi, East Java Province, must be evaluated by the High Court of East Java province and the Supreme Court under fair trial principles. We also urge the police to stop any criminal charges against three other environment activists and also local community members, considering that under Indonesian law number 32 of 1999 on Environmental Protection, article 66 states, "Everybody struggling for a right to proper and healthy environment may not be charged with criminal or civil offense." Furthermore, the government must immediately conduct legal audit upon the mining company operated in Tumpang Pitu, and the audit must be transparent, accountable and accessible for public (in particular local community) and media. Local community's input and information about environmental damages due to mining operation in Tumpang Pitu must also be considered by the government.
I look forward to your prompt action in this matter.
Yours Sincerely,
...................
Please send your letters to:
1. Mr. Joko Widodo
President of
the Republic of Indonesia
Jl. Veteran No.
16
Jakarta Pusat
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 3458
595
Fax: +62 21 3484
4759
E-mail: webmaster@setneg.go.id
2. Mr. Yasonna
Laoly
Minister of Law
and Human Rights
Jl. HR Rasuna
Said Kav. 6 – 7
Kuningan, Jakarta
12940
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 525
3006, 525 3889
Fax: +62 21 525
3095
3. Mr. Ignasius
Jonan
Minister of Energy
and Mineral Resources
Jalan Medan Merdeka
Selatan No 18 Jakarta Pusat 10110
Phone: +62 21
3804242
Fax: +62 21 3507210
4. Dr. Mualimin
Abdi SH., MH
Director General
of Human Rights
Office of the
Director General of Human Rights
Jl. HR Rasuna
Said Kav. 6 – 7
Kuningan, Jakarta
12940
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 5253006
Fax: +62 21 5253095
5. Air Chief Marshal
Hadi Tjahjanto
Chief of Indonesian
Military
Mabes TNI Cilangkap
Jakarta Timur
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 84595576,
+62 21 8459-5326
Fax: + 62 21
84591193
Email: ppidtni@puspen.tni.mil.id
6. General Pol.
Drs. H.M. Tito Karnavian, M.A., Ph.D
Chief of National
Police (KAPOLRI)
Jl. Trunojoyo
No. 3 KebayoranBaru, Jakarta Selatan 12110
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 384
8537, 726 0306
Fax: +62 21 7220
669
E-mail: info@polri.go.id
7. Ms. Poengky
Indarti
Commissioner
of the National Police Commission
Jl. Tirtayasa
VII No. 20
KebayoranBaru,
Jakarta Selatan
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 739
2315
Fax: +62 21 739
2352
E-mail: secretariat@kompolnas.go.id,
skm@kompolnas.go.id
8. Mr. Kahar Muzakir
Chairperson of
the Commission III of The House of Representative
Ketua Komisi
III DPR RI
Gedung Nusantara
II DPR RI, Lt I
JalanJenderalGatotSubroto,
Jakarta,
INDONESIA
Telp: +62 21
-5715566, +62 21-5715569, +62 21-5715864
Fax: +62 21 5715566
9. Mr. Abdul Haris
Semendawai
Chairperson of
the Agency for Victims and Witness Protection
Lembaga Perlindungan
Saksi dan Korban (LPSK)
Jalan Raya Bogor
KM. 24 No. 47-49, Susukan, Ciracas, RT.6/RW.1, Susukan, Ciracas, Kota Jakarta
Timur, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 13750
Tel: +62 21 29681560
Fax: +62 21 29681551/+62
21 29681557
10. Mr. Ahmad
Taufan Damanik
Chairperson of
the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM)
Jl. Latuharhary
No. 4-B
Jakarta 10310
INDONESIA
Tel: +62 21 392
5227-30
Fax: +62 21 392
5227
E-mail: info@komnas.go.id
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals
Programme
Asian Human Rights
Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
Source: http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAU-001-2018.
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