2 french journalists arrested in indonesias papua
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

2 French journalists arrested in Indonesia's Papua

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today 2 French journalists arrested in Indonesia's Papua

French journalists arrested
Jayapura - AFP

Indonesian police have arrested two French journalists who were reporting on the separatist movement in the restive eastern region of Papua, police and embassy officials said Friday.
The detained pair are documentary makers Thomas Dandois, 40, and Valentine Bourrat, 29, from Franco-German television channel Arte, a spokesman for the French embassy in Jakarta told AFP.
They are accused of reporting illegally, as they only had tourist visas, and could face up to five years in prison and a 500 million rupiah ($42,000) fine, Papua province police spokesman Sulistyo Pudjo Hartono said.
Dandois was arrested Thursday at a hotel in the city of Wamena with three members of what Hartono described as an armed criminal gang.
That is the term generally used by police in Papua to refer to the separatist group the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
He gave no details on Bourrat's arrest. They are in custody in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province.
Indonesia's central government keeps a tight grip on Papua and rarely grants foreign journalists full access to report independently in the region. Foreign NGOs are also restricted from operating there.
"We were concerned that (the French nationals') activities were part of a plan to create insecurity and instability in Papua," Hartono said.
"The pair admit to working as foreign journalists for... Arte," he added. "But we are continuing to investigate who Valentine and Thomas are and their purpose in Wamena."
Video footage, audio recordings and the journalists' phones had been seized, said Hartono.
He said the separatists at the hotel were from the highlands of Lanny Jaya district, where five OPM members were killed in a shootout with the military last week.
The shootout came after two policemen were shot dead, killings that were blamed on the separatist movement.
The OPM has for decades waged a low-level insurgency against Indonesian rule over the resource-rich but poor, ethnically Melanesian region.
Normally foreign journalists detained for illegally reporting in Papua are deported.
A French embassy spokesman said: "We are in constant contact with them, we are in touch with the Indonesian ministry of foreign affairs and the police, both in Jakarta and in Papua, to resolve this issue."

 

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

2 french journalists arrested in indonesias papua 2 french journalists arrested in indonesias papua

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

2 french journalists arrested in indonesias papua 2 french journalists arrested in indonesias papua

 



GMT 10:06 2012 Saturday ,28 July

Querrey advances at ATP LA Open

GMT 21:15 2017 Thursday ,01 June

Trump condemns deadly Kabul explosion

GMT 02:15 2017 Thursday ,24 August

Is your country on the Qatar free entry list of 80?

GMT 19:48 2016 Monday ,03 October

Controversial boxing champ Tyson Fury retires

GMT 08:20 2015 Tuesday ,08 December

PC market woes show no sign of easing

GMT 17:27 2017 Tuesday ,25 April

20 Yemeni soldiers killed, injured in explosion

GMT 11:52 2017 Saturday ,30 December

OIC condemns Mar Mina Church attack

GMT 00:03 2017 Saturday ,25 March

Arab Meeting to Examine Anti-Corruption Methods

GMT 13:12 2017 Thursday ,20 April

Deputy premier meets Arab League chief

GMT 14:13 2014 Friday ,10 January

Opel Astra GTC

GMT 18:27 2016 Tuesday ,02 August

Turkish Foreign Minister arrives in Islamabad

GMT 11:27 2016 Tuesday ,13 December

Saudi woman arrested for challenging social norms
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday