Call to end continuing injustice in Indonesia

We are lucky to live in a country where the Indonesian government has the chance to respond to coverage of the case of the British citizen, and refugee from Indonesia, Benny Wenda (Indonesia wants to catch an alleged criminal, not abuse Interpol, 6 December). Sadly, in Indonesia such basic rights cannot be taken for granted: in the last year, dozens of people have been imprisoned for peaceful protest and raising independence flags. Despite this continued oppression, Indonesia argues that Benny should be "brave enough" to go back to Indonesia and face charges against him.

Let's not forget that Indonesia had a chance to give Benny a fair trial. He was arrested and imprisoned there in 2002 but, instead of being given a fair trial, Benny has described how he was brutally tortured and mistreated in custody and suffered credible threats to his life. Not a single prosecution witness appeared in court to link Benny to any criminal activity. By contrast, many witnesses placed Benny in a different country at the time. This is why Benny fled the country in 2002. It is why we are all proud to stand up for his right not to be threatened from afar 10 years later by Indonesia. Thankfully, the UK granted him asylum from the persecution he had suffered in Indonesia.

We hope the government now takes action to protect him from this Interpol red notice. Indonesia promises that things have changed in the last 10 years. They should tell that to the families of the two Papuan farmers brutally tortured by Indonesian soldiers just last year (all recorded in a horrific 10-minute video). Perhaps Indonesia, not Benny, needs to show courage. As a starting point they could act on the reports by Indonesia's own Human Rights Commission of "crimes against humanity" in West Papua; and promise not to deny access to human rights monitors and to the Red Cross, which was expelled from West Papua in 2009.

Jago Russell - Fair Trials International
Charles Foster (Benny Wenda's barrister)
Lord Harries of Pentregarth
Caroline Lucas MP