An Indonesian court on Wednesday sentenced seven Papuan pro-independence activists to nearly yearlong jail terms on treason charges for organizing anti-racism protests last year, despite calls from rights groups and politicians to drop the charges and release them. Judges in the Balikpapan District Court in East Kalimantan province read out the verdicts in seven separate trials that were held remotely due to the coronavirus pandemic. The judges said the seven were guilty of treason because they had demanded in speeches during the protests that the government hold a referendum on independence for Papua.
