International
Groundswell stands in solidarity for freed journalists in West Papua
Two French journalists have today been released from gaol after being sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for reporting on West Papua.
Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat that have been held for the past 11 weeks in West Papua by Indonesian authorities in Indonesia’s Eastern province of Papua. They were on a charge of misusing their tourist visas to do investigative reporting.
West Papua declared independence in 1961. The Indonesian army invaded three months later, and since have been occupying West Papua. Hundreds of thousands of West Papuans have been killed as a result of decades of conflict.
Non violent descent has been criminalised and journalism and international reporting within West Papua is illegal.
We stand in solidarity with Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat, West Papuans fighting for their freedom, and the freedom to report and investigate the occupation of West Papua.
The world wants free journalism, reporting must never be a crime.