The Alliance of Independent Journalists noted that West Papua is the most dangerous region for journalists in Indonesia.
This statement was originally published on aji.or.id on 23 January 2023.
An unknown person threw a bomb near the house of Jubi journalist Victor Mambor in Jayapura City, West Papua, on Monday at 04.00 a.m. West Papua is the most dangerous region for journalists in Indonesia and Victor Mambor has been targeted several times.
The bomb exploded about three meters from Victor Mambor’s house in North Jayapura District, Jayapura City. Victor said, that before a low-power explosion occurred, he heard the sound of a motorcycle stopping, which was recorded by the CCTV at his house. Victor and his family are safe, nor is there any damage to his house.
A police team has been investigating the incident on the ground, taking Victor’s statement and finding evidence of the bomb blast.
Victor is the founder of an independent news website in Papua, Jubi.id. He has been repeatedly subjected to digital attacks, such as doxing, hacking and online harassment. On April 21, 2021, his car was vandalized by unknown people. No perpetrators have ever been arrested for these attacks.
The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) strongly condemns the bombing as a threat to press freedom in Papua. AJI urges the Indonesian Police to thoroughly investigate the perpetrators behind the terror. AJI calls on all journalists in Papua to not be afraid and give up on voicing the truth amidst various obstacles.
AJI Indonesia recorded 114 cases of violence against journalists from 2000-2021. Meanwhile, in 2022 there were four cases of attacks against 7 journalists in West Papua.
