The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its Indonesian

affiliate the Alliance Of Independent Journalist (AJI) in urging a thorough

investigation into the death of a journalist in Indonesia’s eastern Papua

Province on Sunday April 8.

Leiron Kogoya, 35, a journalist for Papua

Pos Nabire and Pasifik Pos Dail,

was a passenger in a small Twin Otter plane attacked by unidentified shooters while

touching down at Mulia Airport, in Papua's Puncak Jaya district. Leiron was

visiting Mulia to cover the local elections in the provincial capital, Jayapura.

Information gathered by AJI suggests that although Leiron was not a

specific target, he received a shot in the right neck during the initial attack

and died shortly afterwards.

After being hit, the Trigana Air flight, and its eight

passengers and crew, crashed into an airport building. Provincial police spokesman

Johannes Nugroho reported that in addition to Leiron’s death, four were wounded

in the plane incident, including the two pilots, a female passenger and a

four-year-old boy.

“The IFJ joins its affiliate AJI in condemning these

attacks, and calls for an active investigation by Indonesian Police to identify

and punish those responsible”, IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.

“This latest incident highlights the dangers faced by

journalists in Indonesia when carrying out their duties.

The IFJ urges Indonesia Police to do all they can to

ensure the safety and security of civilians, including journalists, and reminds

journalists to exercise due care when reporting from dangerous or unstable

locations”

For

further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0950

The IFJ

represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries

Find

the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific