AWPA letter re Filep Karma

Australia West Papua Association (Sydney)

PO Box 28, Spit Junction, Sydney, Australia 2088

Drs. Untung Sugiyono

Director General of Prisons



Ministry of Justice and Human Rights

Jl. Veteran No. 11
, Jakarta Pusat


Indonesia

22 April 2012

Dear Untung Sugiyono

I am writing to you on behalf of the Australia West Papua Association (AWPA) concerning the health of Filep Karma who is serving a 15-year sentence at the Abepura prison because he was part of a peaceful demostration where the  Bintang Kejora was raised.   

Doctors at the Dok Dua hospital in Jayapura conducted a medical examination last month and suspect a tumour of the colon. They have confirmed that he requires a colonoscopy and follow-up treatment. However as the necessary equipment is not available in Papua they have referred him to the Cikini hospital in Jakarta. Although the Abepura prison authorities have given permission for Filep Karma to travel to Jakarta, they have refused to cover the cost of his medical treatment and travel. By law, all medical costs for treatment of a prisoner at a hospital must be borne by the state (Regulation No. 32/1999 on Terms and Procedures on the Implementation of Prisoners’ Rights in Prisons).

Filep Karma has suffered a number of medical problems in detention, including bronchopneumonia, excess fluid in the lungs and a urinary tract infection. Filep Karma is also undergoing physiotherapy for an injury to his hip bone from a fall he suffered in detention in 2006.

I urge you to see that Filep Karma receives any medical treatment he may require and that the cost of such treatment be covered by the authorities in accordance with the UN Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment (Principle 24) and Indonesian regulations.

I also urge you to ensure that prison conditions and the treatment of prisoners meet the standards provided for in Indonesian law as well as UN Standard Minimum Rules on the Treatment of Prisoners. 

Filep Karma is a prisoner of conscience and we urge that he be  immediately and unconditionally released.

Yours sincerely

Joe Collins

Secretary

AWPA (Sydney)

CC.

Primo Alui Joelianto Ambassador, Indonesian Embassy Canberra

Liberty Sitinjak,  Head of Abepura Prison 


Daniel Biantong  Head of Papuan Provincial Department of Justice and Human Rights