Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
13th Working Group Session
UPR Intervention for Indonesia
Geneva
May 23, 2012
(as drafted)
The United States warmly welcomes Minister Marty Natalegawa and the Indonesian delegation to the UPR Working Group.
We commend Indonesia for its remarkable transformation from authoritarian government to a full democracy.
We applaud the continuing strong, independent work of the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights, which serves as a regional model.
And, we commend Indonesia for its pursuit of a prosperity approach in Papua, and the creation of the Unit for the Acceleration of Development in Papua and West Papua to help implement this approach and address the roots of Papuan grievances.
We are concerned, however, by the government’s failure to create, publish and enforce a government wide framework of accountability for abuses by the military and the police. Additionally, military personnel responsible for recent abuses in Papua and West Papua provinces were convicted of minor crimes not commensurate with the serious abuses they committed, a frequent outcome because Indonesia does not criminalize torture.
We remain concerned about the government’s failure to protect certain religious minorities, particularly the Ahmadiyah and Christian communities.
We remain concerned about allegations of human rights abuses in Papua and West Papua and the government’s limitations on access to these areas by journalists and civil society organizations.
Bearing in mind these concerns, the United States makes that following recommendations:
- Specifically criminalize torture in your criminal code and ensure that security officials are held accountable for torture and other human rights abuses;
- End prosecutions under Articles 106 and 110 of your criminal code for exercising the internationally protected right of freedom of expression, and reevaluate the convictions and sentences of individuals prosecuted for those actions; and
- Institute trainings and awareness campaigns for provincial and municipal officials in respect for the rule of law with regard to protecting the freedom of religion and other rights of members of religious minorities.