Larius Kogoya, Nabire – President Prabowo Subianto's granting of amnesty to Papuan political prisoner (tapol) Viktor Makamuke ahead of the Republic of Indonesia's 80th Anniversary is seen as image building and a pubic deception.
This was conveyed to Jubi via a telephone call in Nabire, Central Papua, on Friday August 8 by Democratic Alliance for Papua (ALDP) Director Anum Siregar.
The human rights lawyer explained, as reported by the media, that in early August 2025 President Prabowo said he will grant amnesty to six political prisoners: one convict from Ambon and five convicts from Papua. Four of the convicts are serving time in the Makassar Class I Prison in South Sulawesi and the one convict is in the Manokwari Class IIB Prison in West Papua province, namely Viktor Makamuke.
Siregar explained that Makamuke has already served 24 months of his sentence, which is more than two-thirds of his total sentence, and therefore is already eligible for parole. If the total sentence is 30 months, then two-thirds of that would be 20 months. Makamuke had already served more than 20 months, so he should have been granted parole, but it is overdue.
"If the calculation is like that, Viktor isn't getting amnesty, but rather a conditional release, or his right to PB [pembebasan bersyarat]. So the government shouldn't claim to be granting amnesty, but rather his position under PB, and it's his right to receive it. Even being late this doesn't yet count him receiving remissions at Christmas and [Independence Day on] August 17", he said.
Siregar said the same thing also happened to the three other convicts in Makassar Class I Prison, apart from Yance Kambuaya.
Alex Bless, Adolof Nauw and Hilkia Isir are part of the same case. They have been detained since November 27, 2022, and are serving four-year sentences. They have already served their prison sentences, and if calculated, it's now time for them to receive parole.
"It's what they get because they have served two-thirds of their sentence, if we refer to the procedures for granting PB and so on, for the families of those inmates, the reference is Government Regulation Number 99/2012 on the requirements and procedures for implementing the rights of inmates of correctional institutions", he said.
According to Siregar, there are several other convicts currently serving sentences of a dozen or so years who should have received amnesty but have not. For example, at the Makassar Class I Prison, there are seven inmates with sentences ranging from 12 to 14 years.
"There are seven people in Makassar Prison. So, if the government wants to prioritise them, it should be those whose sentences are still very long. For example, Maikel Yaam, Robianus Yaam and Amos KY, who each received 20 years in prison. Agustus Yaam, Maklon Same and Yakobus Worait who each received 18 years in prison. It should be them, if the government is indeed serious", he said.
Our Works Cultural Children Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Kaki Abu) Director Leonardo Ijie said that this granting of amnesty covers all Indonesian people, referring to the president's prerogative in accordance with the context of Article 14 paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. Granting amnesty should not just be for Makamuke, but for all Indonesian citizens.
"We respect the President's decision to grant amnesty, but in the context of Papua, it must be handled seriously. In my opinion, granting Victor amnesty is a way to improve Indonesia's image internationally", said Ijie.
According to Ijie, given the current situation in Papua, some political prisoners are more deserving of amnesty. For example, in the Sorong Class IIB Prison, there are inmates from the Kisor case (who were allegedly involved in an attack on a military post in 2021) with sentences ranging from scores to decades of years.
"There is a prisoner named Karel in Sorong Prison who is facing a death sentence and this has never been mentioned, if we're now talking about the amnesty policy, talking about abolition or remission, is this aspect being looked at or not", he said.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Pemberian Amnesti Kepada Tapol Papua Dianggap Pembohongan Publik".]
Source: https://jubi.id/polhukam/2025/pemberian-amnesti-kepada-tapol-papua-dianggap-pembohongan-publik