By Dwi Bowo Raharjo and Ria Rizki Nirmala Sari in Jayapura
West Papua National Committee (KNPB) diplomacy commission head Kobabe Wanimbo has appealed to the Papuan people to picket the private residence of the chief public prosecutor in the controversial treason trial of an activist who is seriously ill.
The appeal was made to support a demand that KNPB international spokesperson Victor Yeimo be transferred from the Mobile Brigade command headquarters (Mako Brimob) detention centre to a hospital because his health has further deteriorated.
Yeimo was arrested by security forces because of his alleged link to riots in Papua in 2019.
Since he has been detained, however, his state of health has become critical.
“[His illness] is because of a consequence of his lungs and a chronic [ailment]. Moreover, the doctor has advised that Victor Yeimo must be treated in hospital,” said Wanimbo in a media release received by Suara.com at the weekend.
Although his state of health has worsened, the prosecutor handling his case is said not to care.
Yeimo was forcibly taken back to the Papua regional police Mako Brimob detention centre after earlier being treated at the Jayapura public hospital in defiance of a court ruling.
Hospital treatment ruling
The court ruling on August 26 in Yeimo’s case instructed the prosecutor to postpone Yeimo’s detention and prosecution so that he could be treated at a public hospital in Jayapura.
Moreover, the chief public prosecutor was also ordered to place Yeimo in detention only after his health had improved.
KNPB members and other activists went to the chief public prosecutor’s private residence in the Doc 2 area of Jayapura city to demand that permission be immediately granted for Yeimo to receive medical treatment.
The KNPB also appealed to all Papuan people to gather at the prosecutor’s residence to support the demand.
“We will remain here making this demand of the prosecutor — immediately transfer Victor Yeimo to hospital to obtain treatment for him,” said Wanimbo.
Translated by James Balowski for Indoleft News. The original title of the article was “KNPB Datangi Rumah Kepala Kejati Papua, Tuntut Izinkan Victor Yeimo Dibawa ke RS”.
Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz