Amnesty International is calling for independent, impartial and effective investigations into reports of unchecked human rights violations by police in the Nabire district, Papua province of Indonesia over the last year.

Local sources have told Amnesty International that, between December 2008 and April 2009, police officials used unnecessary and excessive force against demonstrators, injuring at least 21 people in Nabire. Further reports state that police repeatedly beat and otherwise ill-treated at least 17 people during and after arrests between January and April 2009. Amnesty International also received credible information on two cases of unlawful killings in April and June 2009.

Amnesty International calls on the Indonesian authorities to:

  • Immediately conduct thorough, independent and impartial investigations into these and any other reports of police abuse in Nabire district, Papua province. In particular there should be investigations into reports of deaths involving police;

  • Ensure that the findings of the investigations are submitted, wherever relevant, to the public prosecutor to ensure that all those found responsible for offences involving human rights violations are brought to justice in proceedings which meet international standards of fairness and without the imposition of the death penalty, and that victims are provided reparations;

  • Ensure that all police officials stationed in Nabire district, Papua, are familiar with the recent Regulation of the Chief of the National Police regarding the Implementation of Human RightsPrinciples and Standards in the Discharge of Duties of the Indonesian National Police (No 8/2009) and on the Use of Force (No1/2009), and have the necessary knowledge and equipment to apply these principles in their daily work;

  • Send a clear public message to all police in the Papua region, that unlawful killings, torture and other ill-treatment are unacceptable and strictly prohibited at all times;

  • Conduct a thorough review of police tactics and use of weapons during the policing of demonstrations in Papua, with a view to ensuring that they accord with international standards, in particular the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.

This is an extract from an Open Letter delivered to the Police Chief of Nabire District, Papua, Indonesia today.