Responding to the shooting of Yan Christian Warinussy, a senior lawyer and human rights defender in the province of West Papua, Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director Usman Hamid said:
“This heinous act is not only a violation of Yan Christian Warinussy’s right to bodily integrity but also an alarming attack on the principles of justice and human rights in Papua.
“Yan Christian Warinussy has long been a steadfast defender of human rights in Papua, tirelessly working to ensure justice and equality for all. His advocacy has been instrumental in bringing to light numerous human rights violations and in providing legal assistance to those most vulnerable.
“This attack is a reprehensible attempt to silence a courageous voice and to instil fear in those who fight for justice.
“We call on the authorities to promptly conduct an effective, thorough, and impartial investigation into this attack and to bring the perpetrators to justice in fair trials.
“The government must take immediate and decisive action to protect human rights defenders and to ensure that perpetrators who have committed such acts of violence are brought to justice.”
Background
Yan Christian Warinussy, a senior lawyer and human rights activist in Papua, was shot by an unidentified person in Manokwari, West Papua province on Wednesday 17 July.
According to his driver, cited by some local media, the shooting occurred after Warinussy had just withdrawn money from an ATM kiosk on the roadside. Previously he attended a corruption trial involving some local state auditors at the Manokwari anti-corruption court.
He survived and was taken to hospital to get medical treatment. The doctor managed to remove an air rifle bullet projectile from his chest. Local police said they were investigating and attempting to find the suspected shooter.
Warinussy is known as a lawyer and human rights defender in Papua because of his dedication to advocating for the rights of the Papuan people. He leads the Research Institute for Legal Aid Assessment and Development (LP3BH) in Manokwari.
He has received various national and international awards for his human rights work, including the John Humphrey Freedom Award in 2005. This award recognized his efforts in exposing gross human rights violations in West Papua and defending the rights of the marginalized, despite facing repeated intimidation and threats.
