Jayapura, Jubi – Papuan journalist Angela Flassy has received the 2026 SK Trimurti Award from the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia for her more than two decades of work promoting independent journalism, human rights and the voices of marginalised communities in Papua.
The award was presented during a reception marking AJI Indonesia's 32nd anniversary, held under the theme "Surviving, Speaking Out, Creating" at the Press Council Hall in Jakarta on Friday evening (7 August 2026).
The award's three-member jury comprised Armayanti Sanusi, a women's rights activist and chair of the National Executive Board of Solidaritas Perempuan; Siti Aminah Tardi, a human rights lawyer and executive director of the Indonesian Legal Resource Center (ILRC) and former commissioner of the National Commission on Violence Against Women; and Rachmawati, a member of AJI Indonesia's Sexual Violence Task Force with more than a decade of experience in journalism and media advocacy.
The jury selected Flassy following a series of assessments, including a review of nominations, her professional record, activism networks, publications, public impact and the sustainability of the causes she has championed.
The jury said Flassy had demonstrated a consistent commitment to independent journalism and reporting on behalf of marginalised communities, while contributing to the advancement of democracy and human rights throughout more than 20 years in the profession.
Her work, the jury said, reflects the values associated with SK Trimurti: the courage to speak truth to power, standing with ordinary people and using journalism as a tool for social justice.
Flassy is a Papuan journalist, writer, editor, media literacy educator and documentary filmmaker. For more than two decades, she has worked to bring stories from communities that have often remained on the margins of public discourse into the media.
As a former editor-in-chief of Suara Perempuan Papua and Jubi.id, she has consistently highlighted issues affecting Papuan women, despite the challenges of reporting on women's rights in a region where broader concerns over basic rights, marginalisation, discrimination and repression often dominate public attention.
"As a result, there is very little coverage of women's issues in the media. They are often treated as though they don't exist," Flassy said in a video message played during AJI's 32nd anniversary celebration on Friday evening.
She said the award belonged not only to her but to thousands of activists, particularly women across Papua and Indonesia, who continue to speak up for people who are marginalised, discriminated against, repressed or treated as minorities.
"I have learned so much from them. One thing I have learned is that courage does not always mean speaking loudly. Sometimes courage means choosing not to give up and continuing to work persistently along this path," Flassy said.
Two decades of human rights journalism
Flassy began her journalism career in 2004, making issues affecting women, Indigenous communities, human rights, social conflict, culture and everyday life in Papua central to her reporting.
Her commitment to marginalised communities was particularly evident when she became editor-in-chief of Suara Perempuan Papua in 2010, a publication that provided space for the experiences and perspectives of Papuan women who were rarely represented in mainstream media.
In 2018, she became editor-in-chief of Jubi.id, an independent media organisation known for its critical coverage of Papua and its focus on public-interest journalism.
"Amid a situation in Papua marked by conflict, violence and restrictions on civic space, Angela has continued to practise journalism grounded in courage, empathy and respect for human dignity," said jury member Armayanti Sanusi.
Jury member Siti Aminah Tardi said Flassy had consistently advocated for press freedom, the public's right to information and gender equality through her journalistic work in Papua.
Her reporting has highlighted the experiences of Papuan women, Indigenous communities, freedom of expression, press freedom, environmental justice and the impact of conflict on civilians.
Through her journalism, Flassy has brought a human rights perspective to stories by connecting people's lived experiences with structural issues including inequality, discrimination and violence.
The jury described her as one of the Papuan journalists who has successfully developed a practice of human rights journalism grounded in integrity, courage and solidarity with marginalised communities.
"For her commitment, consistency, professionalism and contribution to advancing journalism rooted in justice and humanity, I believe Angela Flassy is highly deserving of the SK Trimurti Award," Tardi said.
Rachmawati said Flassy's work as a Papuan woman journalist, writer and filmmaker had placed her in a particularly vulnerable position amid the conflict in Papua.
She has nevertheless continued to document the social and cultural realities of Papua that are often overlooked by mainstream media.
Flassy has also trained women's groups in Lapua in content production, helping generate more local narratives told directly from the perspectives of Papuan communities.
"It is this dedication and quiet work with a tangible impact that makes Angela Flassy deserving of the SK Trimurti Award from AJI Indonesia," Rachmawati said.
Flassy's journalism has documented the experiences of Papuan women affected by displacement, loss of their living spaces, environmental destruction and threats to cultural identity.
Her work demonstrates how journalism can serve as a form of advocacy for communities whose voices are frequently overlooked.
Flassy has also expanded her storytelling through documentary filmmaking, including work with Jubi on several documentary projects. One of them, Suara Lembah Grime (2023), documented the lives of Papuan communities, their relationship with customary land and the social challenges they face.
The use of audiovisual storytelling, the jury said, has expanded the reach of information about Papua while strengthening documentation of the experiences of Indigenous communities and other vulnerable groups.
As a writer, Flassy published the book Luka Papua: HIV, Otonomi Khusus (Special Autonomy), dan Perang Suku (tribal war – 2008), examining complex issues in Papua through a journalistic and social lens.
Her short-story collection Kitorang (2012) reflects her commitment to local identity, using Papuan Malay and presenting the lived experiences of Papuan communities from an Indigenous perspective.
Her contribution also extends beyond producing media. Flassy has taught creative writing, journalism and media literacy to women and young people in Papua.
Through training and mentorship, she has helped develop the next generation of local journalists while expanding women's access to opportunities to produce knowledge and information.
"Her role as an educator shows that journalism is not merely a profession, but also a means of empowering communities," Armayanti said.
Source: https://en.jubi.id/papuan-journalist-angela-flassy-receives-2026-sk-trimurti-award