Urgent Action: PAPUAN FARMER IMPRISONED FOR FACEBOOK POST (Indonesia: UA 47.21)

Soon Tabuni, a Papuan farmer, sentenced to 6 months imprisonment and a fine of IDR 1 billion (approximately USD68,828) for a Facebook post. Court proceedings have been incredibly slow, with restricted access to his lawyer and family. Detained for 332 days, there are concerns for Soon’s health and wellbeing due to poor prison facilities. Charged under the Electronic Information and Transactions Act (ITE Law), Amnesty International is concerned that these criminal proceedings threaten respect for and the protection of the right to freedom of expression in Indonesia.

TAKE ACTION:

1. Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
2. Click here to let us know the actions you took on Urgent Action 47.21. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.

CONTACT INFORMATION

---

SAMPLE LETTER Dear President Widodo, I am writing to you to express my concern about Soon Tabuni, a Papuan farmer, who has been imprisoned solely for a Facebook post he made last year. He has been detained for peacefully expressing his opinion, as guaranteed by Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that Indonesia has ratified. It is alarming to me that, in addition to having already been detained for 332 days in the Mobile Brigade Command Prison, Soon Tabuni has had restricted access to his lawyers and family. Charged under the Electronic Information and Transactions Act (ITE Law), the Timika District court sentenced him to 6 months imprisonment, a fine of IDR 1 billion, a subsidiary of 6 months imprisonment. I find it distressing to learn that when Soon Tabuni was arrested on May 27, 2020, he was shot three times in the leg by a plain-clothed police officer. He was on his way to repair his computer at the time. Amnesty International is concerned that criminal proceedings under the ITE Law threaten respect for and the protection of the right to freedom of expression in Indonesia. The right to freedom of expression is essential for the right to peacefully advocate for independence or any other political ideas that do not involve incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. Criminalizing such peaceful exercise of human rights is contrary to international human rights law. I, therefore, urge you to:

• Immediately and unconditionally release Soon Tabuni as he is detained solely for peacefully exercising his human rights;
• Drop the charges against him; and
• Pending his release, ensure that he is protected from torture and other ill-treatment and have regular access to their family members, access to medical care, and lawyers of his choice.

Sincerely, [YOUR NAME] ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• READ THE FULL URGENT ACTION: Word or PDF 
• GET INSPIRED: Read about the people you have helped  
• READ TIPS for writing effective letters and emails  
• CONTACT US: [email protected]