20 Apr 2012

Amnesty urges Indonesia to give medical treatment to prisoner of conscience

4:56 pm on 20 April 2012

Amnesty International says a Papuan prisoner of conscience Filep Karma, who is in jail in Indonesia, is in urgent need of medical treatment.

Amnesty says he needs to travel from Abepura prison to Jakarta to receive the treatment for a suspected tumour.

The prison authorities have refused to pay for his transport and medical costs although by law, all costs for treatment of a prisoner must be borne by the state.

Karma is serving a 15-year sentence for raising Papua's banned Morning Star flag in 2004.