Amnesty pleads for prisoners’ release

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33966, 6 October 1975, Page 20

Amnesty pleads for prisoners’ release

The fate of political I prisoners in Indonesia is lof grave concern to Amnesty International in i Christchurch. Dozens of 'letters have been written to the Indonesian authorities but all have been ignored. The organisation is observing October 12-19 as its annual “prisoner of conscience week" in order to focus attention on political prisoners, many of whom are held without trial, al! over the world.

i Amnesty International savs

11 that a number of prisoners Jin Indonesia have been released in the last two ' months as part of celebraI tions to mark the tenth anniversary of the coup which brought the present govern-

ment to power. But it adds that there are still a great many prisoners! of whom little is known. The group is still writing! to the Indonesian Govern-1 ment to press for the release! of people who have already! served long terms, often! without trial, for alleged | crimes. ONLY A GUESS I “Indonesia has the largest II number of long-term, untried! detainees of any country in; the world,” the organisation! says. “The whereabouts of (many of these prisoners can! i only be guessed at. ; “Christchurch group mem-! bers have had no response; from the authorities in In-i donesia to whom they have! written requesting informs-j tion; officials do not even 1 ; acknowledge receipt of these,' letters which is in itself an ! indication of ‘out-of-sight. out-of-mind’ attitude of the . Government.

"Amnesty estimates there are more than 55,000 political prisoners who have been detained without trial for 10 years in Indonesia, and in that time only about 800 people have been tried.” Amnesty International consists of 1592 groups in 31 countries as well as 70,000 individual members in 65 countries.

Last year, the organisation reported it had taken action on violations of human rights in 107 countries, dispensed about $200,000 in relief to prisoners and their families, and sent missions and trial observers to 31 countries. Virtually one of every two prisoners of conscience highlighted in the past 10 years through the organisation’s “prisoners of the month” campaign, has been freed, granted a sentence reduction or transferred to better detention facilities. Torture, capital punishment, poor prison conditions, unjust laws, and political show trials have all been condemned by Amnesty International in the 14 years it has been in existence. Many of the more than 3600 prisoners being investigated or the subject of representations are men and women who have spent many years in detention for their political or religious beliefs.

i These individuals are the [kind of people about whom J Amnesty International feels most concerned. The 12 cases Amnesty Internationa! has selected for “prisoner of conscience week" this year illustrate i the impact of long-term im- ! prisonment on the lives of (ordinary people.

They cover countries as diverse as Turkey and Taiwan, . Cuba and Singapore. Rhodesia and the Soviet Union. There is a depressing sameness about the fate of the 12 prisoners listed: in Spain a young man is serving a 16year sentence for illicit association and illegal propaganda in connection with the Communist Party; in Cuba, a priest awaits the end of a 15-year prison sentence for hiding and assisting a “traitor to the people.”

! In Taiwan, a writer is imprisoned for 10 years after a •trial in secret by a military I tribunal. He is Lee Ao. a • talented satirical writer with •a lively sense of humour who i published an outspoken magazine. The precise charges against Mr Lee are not known, as he was tried in secret and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. But a friend wrote that he was goaled because "he ventured to raise words of scepticism about the totalitarian system here in Taiwan.” ALL RACES ; In the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen, a former Cabinet Minister is in prison for 10 years. In Indonesia. Singapore and Rhodesia. prisoners are held for years without any hope of being brought to trial under emergency legislation and special laws allowing indefinite periods behind bars.

In the Soviet Union, a 47-year-old woman faces eight years imprisonment in a corrective labour c*mp, to be followed by five years of internal exile, for alleged “antiSoviet agitation and propaganda.” In Tunisia, a young man finds that the conditional amnesty under which he was released five years ago has been revoked, and he must return to prison and serve out a 16-year sentence for his political activities. The 12 individuals listed by Amnesty International for “prisoner of conscience week” come from all races and backgrounds. What they have in common is the tragedy of long-term persecution for their political beliefs.