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Case IDN/ TMP 121198

The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention regarding the following situation in Indonesia/East Timor.

Brief description of the situation:

The East Timor Human Rights Centre (ETHRC), a member of the OMCT network, has expressed its grave concern over the physical and psychological integrity as well as the safety of 26 East Timorese alleged political prisoners who have been transferred from Becora prison in Dili, to a military prison in Balide, Dili.

The transferred prisoners have been identified as follows:

Adelio de Fatima Barreto H Agostino Moreira Agostino Vital Alberto Ximenes Bernardo da Silva (See A.C. IDN/TMP 020698) Carlos Freitas Constancio C Santos Domingos Pereira Eduardo dos Santos Eusebio Ximenes Floriano da Costa Xavier (See A.C. IDN/TMP 020698) Joao Alves Trindade Joao dos Reis Joaquim de Carvalho de Araujo Jose Soares Menezes Lamberto Freitas Lino Xavier Nunes (See A.C. IDN/TMP 211197) Luis Antonio Soares Manuel (no surname) Manuel Moniz Mariano da Costa Sarmento Matias Marcal Soares Pedro Freitas Romeo da Conceicao Salvador da Silva Venancio (no surname)

According to information received, the 26 prisoners were rounded up by the Indonesian military at midnight on 30 October 1998 and it is believed they were subjected to violent beatings, including the use of gun butts, and thrown into the waiting military vehicles. They arrived at the Balide military prison at 4.00am the following morning.

According to the ETHRC, the prisoners were transferred to the Balide military prison because they had openly expressed their political views. ETHRC sources reported that Indonesian authorities said the 26 prisoners had disturbed other prisoners by shouting slogans such as "Viva Xanana" and "Viva Independence". The prisoners allegedly had also participated in a hunger strike which took place in late August in support of demands for the release of Xanana Gusmao, the jailed leader of the East Timorese resistance.

The International Secretariat fears for the physical and psychological integrity of the prisoners as the use of torture and ill-treatment are common practice in Indonesian military detention facilities.

Actions requested:

Please write to the Indonesian authorities urging them to:

i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the aforementioned prisoners at all times;

ii. order their immediate release if they are being held without any valid charges or, in the event that he has been charged, ensure their right to a fair and impartial trial as well as their procedural rights at all times;

iii.bring an immediate end to the use of torture by the Indonesian authorities;

iv. in general, ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.

Addresses:

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Istana Negara Gedung Binagraha Jl. Veteran, Jakarta Pusat, INDONESIA, Faxes: +62 21 345 7782 Telegrams: President Habibie, Jakarta, Indonesia, E-mail: habibie@ristek.go.id

Minister of Justice, Menteri Kehakiman, Jl H.R. Rasuna Said Blok X VI Kav. 4-5 Kuningan, Jakarta Selatan, INDONESIA, Faxes: +62 21 525 3095 Telegrams: Justice Minister Muladi, Jakarta, Indonesia

General Syahrir MS, Pangdam IX/Udayana, Markas Besar KODAM IX/Udayana Denpasar, Bali, INDONESIA, Telephone: +62 361 228 095 Telegrams: Pangdam IX/Udayana, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Alatas S.H, Menteri Luar Negeri, Jl. Medan Taman Pejambon No. 6 Jakarta, INDONESIA, Faxes: +62 21 360 541 / 360 517 / 380 5511 / 345 7782 / 724 5354

Secretary General, National Commission on Human Rights, Prof. Dr. Baharuddin Lopa, Sekretaris Jenderal, Komisi Nasional Hak Azasi Manusia (Komnas HAM) J1, Latuharhary No. 4 B, Menteng Jakarta Pusat INDONESIA, Phone/Fax: 6221 3925227 Email: info@komnas.go.id

Diplomatic representatives of Indonesia in your country

Geneva, 12 November 1998

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

OMCT - The World Organisation Against Torture is the Worlds largest network of human rights organisations fighting against all forms of torture, cruel inhuman or degrading treatment, forced disappearances summary execution or other more subtle forms of violent repression.

OMCT has consultative status with the UN, The ILO and the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights.

OMCT stands for: l'Organisation Mondiale contre la Torture The World Organisation Against Torture OMCT-SOS-Torture Fax 4122 733 1051 Ph 4122 733 3140 omct@omct.org http://www.omct.org/

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