Jakarta – The government has arrested more than 150 people for raising flags symbolizing regional independence over the past two years, according to a report from Amnesty International.

Nearly 100 people are currently in detention in Papua and Maluku on charges related to flag-raising activities, Amnesty said Friday.

In the report, Amnesty claims the government failed to distinguish between peaceful political activists and armed groups in its response towards nonviolent, pro-independence activities in Indonesia.

The report stated that some of the detainees were subjected to torture and other ill-treatment during detention and interrogation, while others were imprisoned after unfair trials.

"In the past few years Indonesia has made important advances in respecting free expression. But these cases show that when the sensitive issues of regional independence are at stake, the Indonesian government has made no distinction whatsoever between armed separatist groups and peaceful political activists. This blurring of the lines has allowed them to detain scores of people simply for the peaceful act of raising a flag," said Donna Guest, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific Deputy Director.

"The Indonesian government has a right and duty to maintain public order in its territory. But it cannot imprison people in Maluku or Papua – in some cases for up to 20 years – just for the simple act of raising a flag," said Guest.