Trial of Serious Human Rights Violations of Paniai Papua Begins to be Held in Makassar District Court, Retired TNI Becomes Defendant

The trial of the human rights violation case in Paniai Papua which was held at the Special Class I District Court in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Wednesday (21/9/2022). ANTARA/Darwin Fatir.

MAKASSAR - The trial of the alleged gross violation of human rights in Paniai, West Papua, on December 8, 2014, in which Infantry Major (Ret.) Isak Sattu as a defendant was scheduled to be held in a marathon.

"Because they did not file an exception (objection note) from the legal adviser, then proceed to the proof process. From the proposal of the Public Prosecutor (JPU) it will be processed quickly (marathon), two trial days in a week", said Chief Justice of the Human Rights Court, Sutisna Sawati, in Prof Bagir Manan's Room, Special Class I District Court in Makassar, South Sulawesi, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 21.

He said that according to the rules, the trial was held for 180 days, but now it has been running for 99 days since the case was registered on June 15, 2022. To make the remaining 81 days effective, the trial will be held twice a week.

"The trial will continue on Wednesday, September 28. We will re-arrange the agenda for the examination of witnesses. I have seen the grouping of witnesses, which will be presented later. It is targeted that a decision can be made on December 7, 2022", explained the panel of judges.

Meanwhile, Head of Public Prosecutor Erryl Prima Putra Agoes said that his party had prepared 52 fact witnesses. There are from the TNI, Polri, and the local community. Furthermore, six expert witnesses will be presented. He asked the panel of judges to speed up the trial given the very limited time.

The case of alleged gross human rights violations in Paniai, West Papua, in December 2014 resulted in 14 victims, four of whom were shot and killed. This trial was escorted by security forces and monitored directly by the Judicial Commission (KY) and organizations concerned with human rights.

In the prosecutor's indictment, the defendant's capacity at that time was the Liaison Officer (Pabung) of the 1705/Paniai Military District Command (Kodim) in Paniai Regency who was considered responsible for the shooting incident.

The defendant's actions were carried out on Monday, December 8, 2014, at around 11.00 WIT at Karel Gobay Field and the Military District Command Office (Koramil) 1705-02/Enarotali on Jalan Karel Gobay, Enarotali Village, Paniai District.

The defendant as the highest ranking middle officer at Koramil 1705-02/Enarotali at that time was judged to have seen and allowed his members to take firearms and live ammunition from the armory without preventing or stopping these acts.

The defendant was threatened with criminal sanctions in the first indictment of Article 42 paragraph 1 letter a and letter b Jis Article 7 letter b, Article 9 letter a, Article 37 of Law Number 26 of 2000 concerning the Court of Human Rights (HAM).

Including the second indictment Article 42 paragraph 1 letter a and letter b Jis Article 7 letter b, Article 9 letter h, Article 40 of Law Number 26 of 2000 concerning the Human Rights Court.