Papua Police investigate attack on journalist

Papua Police investigate attack on journalist

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - Papua Police are investigating an attack on a journalist in Sorong, West Papua.

"My officers in Sorong, West Papua, have received the report about the incident and are now investigating it," the Papua regional police command spokesman, Adjunct Senior Commissioner I Gede Sumerta, said here on Friday.

The attack on journalist Resnal Umpain occurred at around 10.20pm at Jalan Rumberpon in Sorong.

Resnal, a resident of Jalan Viktori Belakang Yon 752 in Sorong, was beaten up by a 20-year-old man, identified as WL, while the journalist was in a car.

"According to the victim, WL came up to him and hit him without any provocation," Sumerta said.

He stated that the police would soon summon witnesses in order to solve the case.

Meanwhile, the chief of the Jayapura chapter of Aliansi Jurnalis Indonesia (AJI), Victor Mambor, noted that 12 cases of attacks on journalists in Papua and West Papua provinces had been recorded so far this year.

He told ANTARA here on Friday that four of the cases took place in West Papua, while the rest happened in Papua.

"Most of the attacks were in the form of verbal and physical intimidation, including threats, insults, pelting stones, chasing and hitting," Victor explained.

"AJI Jayapura has received two reports of threats sent through SMS and by phone from Manokwari and Sorong in West Papua," he added.

Meanwhile, the head of Tabloidjubi.com said the perpetrators were 'either from the police force, like in the 2010-11 incidents, or are simply demonstrators'.

"AJI Jayapura has recorded two cases that have the potential to disrupt press freedom, namely the death of Leiron Kogoya and the deportation of Petr Zamenick, a Czech national who claimed to be a journalist, in February," he noted.

"However, the two cases are yet to be confirmed as acts of violence against journalists, due to confusion over whether the victims were really journalists and whether the incidents occurred while they were on duty," Tabloidjubi.com added.

ENDS

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