On June 29, 2007, the government organised a ceremony in the capital of Maluku province, to mark National Family Day, which President Yudhoyono attended. During the ceremony, Johan Teterissa and  21 other activists walked onto the field and performed a traditional war dance in front of the President. At the end of the dance, the activists unfurled the Benang Raja flag, a symbol of Mollucan independence.

The 22, who are mainly teachers and farmers, were escorted from the field by about 20 police and presidential guards, who punched them and beat them with rifle butts once they were out of sight of the President. They were then put on a truck where the beatings continued.

In the next 11 days, the group were beaten, forced to crawl on their stomachs over hot asphalt, whipped with electric cables and had billiard balls forced into their mouths. The police also beat them round the head with rifle butts until their ears bled; and fired shots close to their ears, damaging their hearing. They were repeatedly thrown into the sea and threatened by police with further torture to force them to confess. They were held incommunicado for the entire time, and had no access to medical treatment.

At their trial, the activists received sentences of between seven and 20 years' imprisonment for "subversion". On April 4, 2008 Johan Teterissa was sentenced to life imprisonment for leading the flag-raising incident. Three months later this was reduced on appeal to 15 years.

Johan Teterissa’s case shows that the police in Indonesia are still ill-treating and torturing people who peacefully exercise their right to freedom of expression.  This case also shows that laws in Indonesia do not prevent ill-treatment and torture by the authorities, and torturers are still not being brought to justice.

In November 2007, Amnesty International made a submission (Indonesia: Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review: First session of UPR Working Group 7-18 April 2008 (ASA 21/021/2007)) to the Human Rights Council (HRC) for their Universal Periodic Review of Indonesia which took place in April 2008. Amnesty International's submission included a section on freedom of expression of political activists in Maluku and the need for revisions to the Criminal Code to protect the rights of individuals at different stages of their detention.

In April 2008, Amnesty International submitted a briefing (Indonesia: Briefing to the UN Committee Against Torture (ASA 21/003/2008)) to the UN Committee Against Torture highlighting the lack of safeguards within national laws to prevent the use of torture and ill-treatment.

Amnesty International will soon be launching a report on police reform in Indonesia.

This YouTube video tells the story of Johan Teterissa’s arrest

Take action by sending the email below to the President of Indonesia.

Follow up your email with letter-writing. You should:
• Express concern at the detention of Johan Teterissa and the 21 other activists.
• Express the view that imprisoning people for peacefully protesting and expressing their political views is unacceptable and against international law.
• State that torture and ill-treatment by the police must not be tolerated, and that those responsible must be brought to justice.
• Call for the release of Johan Teterissa and the other activists.

Click here for advice on letter-writing techniques.

Name:

Email:

Dear President Yudhoyono,

I am writing to express my concern about the case of Johan Teterissa and 21 other activists from Maluku.

Johan Teterissa was sentenced to 15 years in prison on 4 April 2008 for peacefully expressing his political opinions. The other activists have also received prison sentences for peaceful political expression.

Arresting and imprisoning people for exercising their right to freedom of expression through peaceful protest is unacceptable, and contrary to their fundamental human rights and international law.

I urge you to ensure that Johan Teterissa and the 21 others are released immediately. The ill-treatment and torture that they suffered when they were arrested and interrogated must be investigated and those responsible must be brought to justice.

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