Pacific / West Papua

West Papua treason trial adjourned until Thursday

15:26 pm on 24 April 2019

The trial of three West Papuans charged with treason has been adjourned until tomorrow.

The Morning Star flag a symbol of the West Papuan Independence movement. Photo: RNZ PAcific/ Koroi Hawkins

Prosecutors in Timika's district court were due to call on witnesses on Tuesday to give evidence against Yanto Awerkion, Sem Asso and Edo Dogopia.

But a lawyer for the men, Veronica Koman, said the prosecution failed to bring the witnesses to the hearing, which the judges had called for.

The defendants are also scheduled to be questioned during the proceedings.

Meanwhile, a civil lawsuit Ms Koman has filed against Indonesian police for its occupation of a Papuan independence group's headquarters continues today in Timika.

Ms Koman is seeking $US80,000 in damages sustained to the West Papua National Committee's (KNPB) Timika secretariat when police forcibly took control last December.