Eight Papua New Guinea prisoners in Indonesia released

National

EIGHT Papua New Guinea prisoners serving various terms for illegal entry in Indonesians prisons have been released under the Indonesian Special Covid-19 state of emergency powers, SOE Controller David Manning says.
“These prisoners were released from Abepura jail in Jayapura on Tuesday and arrangements have been made for them to be brought back into the country after 21 days of quarantine,” he said.
“These prisoners are among 96 PNG prisoners who are serving various terms for illegal entry and drug smuggling in jails in Indonesia’s Papua, West Papua and Sulawesi provinces.”
Comm Manning said yesterday that PNG authorities were working with the Indonesian government to repatriate the PNG prisoners.
Meanwhile, Jayapura-based PNG consular-general Geoffrey Wiri said that these prisoners together with 18 other stranded PNG citizens would be repatriated by tomorrow.
“The majority of prisoners totalling 96 are still in prisons waiting final arrangements between PNG/Indonesian authorities on the details and conditions of their release, whether they will be released on parole or under extradition treaty arrangements and my office is ready to facilitate the final outcome of these discussions,” he said.
Wiri said the eight prisoners who had been released were serving various terms for illegal entry.
“The rest of the prisoners are serving terms for drug smuggling and their repatriation depends on both governments reaching an agreement on transfer arrangements.”
Wiri said 66 prisoners were in Doyo Baru and 22 in Abepura prisons in Papua province while seven were in Bolangi narcotic prison in Sulawesi and one in a prison in Manok Wari, West Papua.