29 Apr 2019

Ruling today for Polish man accused of treason in West Papua

1:08 pm on 29 April 2019

Judges in Indonesia's Papua region will today rule on the case of a Polish man who allegedly supplied arms to Papuan rebels.

Prosecutors have demanded ten years for Jakub Skrzypski, who was arrested in August last year and charged with treason.

Jakub Skrzypski, a 39-year Polish citizen visiting Papua as a tourist, was arrested in Wamena in late August on suspicion of being a journalist.

Jakub Skrzypski, a 39-year Polish citizen visiting Papua as a tourist, was arrested in Wamena in late August on suspicion of being a journalist. Photo: Facebook

Last week, the Wamena City Court heard that Jakub Skrzypski had planned to procure weapons for the West Papua Liberation Army, according to a copy of a response she gave on Thursday.

The rebel group is at the centre of an armed war with Indonesian security forces in Papua's central Highlands.

Public prosecutor Febiana Wilma Sorbu said Mr Skrzypski had tried to help the Liberation Army form an independent state from Indonesia.

Mr Skrzypski and his lawyer have maintained he was a tourist who had met with the rebels but was not involved in selling arms.

Judges will hear final arguments today before reaching a verdict.

Executive members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) at their second congress, Jayapura, October 2018.

Executive members of the West Papua National Committee (KNPB) at their second congress, Jayapura, October 2018. Photo: Supplied

In a separate case before the Timika City Court, witnesses will today present evidence in a civil lawsuit seeking $US80,000 from Indonesian police for damages sustained to the West Papua National Committee's (KNPB) Timika secretariat when police forcibly took control last December.

Police have argued in court that they have lawfully been looking after the secretariat as a seized good, according to Veronica Koman, a lawyer who filed the lawsuit.