YOGYAKARTA, SUARAPAPUA.com — Obby Kogoya, papuan student who was persecuted by joint force by the police and several mass organisation after the Kamasan I Papuan Dormitory incident was found guilty. This verdict decided by Wiwik Wisnuningdyah, the, as the Chairman of the panel of judges, assisted by Hapsoro Restu Widodo and Bambang Sunanto, as the member of the panel of judges from Yogyakarta State Court, on Thursday (27/7/2017).
Obby, who was previously presecuted with article 213, 212, and 351 of Criminal Law or Kitab Undang-Undang Hukum Pidana (KUHP) was found guilty in violationg article 212 by members of the judge. Obby found guilty of resist and attacking police personnel.
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The verdict reading is strictly denied by Papuan students in Yogyakarta.
Yogyakarta Legal Aid, Papuan Student Council, Papuan Student Alliance Yogyakarta Committe, and Anti Criminalization Front, with organization, communities and infividuals are showing their concerns on the faith of democracy in Yogyakarta. They strongly deny the judge verdict.
Anti – Criminalization Front demands, firts, to release Obby Kogoya since he is not guilty and a victim of persecution and criminalization by mass organization and police institution.
Two, strongly condemn the criminalization, racism, discrimination, and the persecution of Obby Kogoya by police personnels.
“Stop racism and criminalization towards West Papuan people and also to Indonesian people. Arrest and try the police personnels who perpretating the persecution towards Obby Kogoya. Give democracy platform for West Papuan people and all oppressed people of Indonesia” wrote Front int their next demands.
Meanwhile, Veronica Koman, a human rights activist in Jakarta, observe that the action to decide that Obby is guilty through court is a discriminative and racist decision.
“Threatment that Obby Kogoya received has became an icon that West Papuan people are often feels. Today, Obby was found guilty violating article 212 of Criminal Law or KUHP on performing volence act to police personnel. I am doubtful about that. I feel that it looks like Obby is a victim of persecution both mentally and physically” explained Koman.
Obby’s lawyer, Emanuel Gobay from Yogyakarta Legal Aid, clarify that they will appeal the verdict.
“Yes, 70 to 80 percent we will appeal the verdict. This is a democratic country, we should never let this kind of thing happen” Said Gobay who recently achieved his master of law degree.
He believes that the judge has neglect several evidence. “We believe that the judge have neglected several evidences that we showed them, there is a big chance that we will appeal in court” said Gobay.
Obby Kogoya is one out of eight papuan students that was persecuted, beaten and arrested by the police when they were going to join others Papuan Student in Kamasan I Papuan Dormitory, Yogyakarta, 15 July 2016. They gather to show support to United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) so they can be the permanent member on Melanesian country regional group called Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). (AR-BT/SP)
