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Fate of two French journalists in Papua unknown
ABC Radio Australia - August 12, 2014
Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat, from the Franco-German television channel Arte, have been accused of reporting without valid visas.
The documentary filmmakers were on tourist visas when they were detained in the highland town of Wamena, along with a number of local human rights activists.
Human Rights Watch's Andreas Harsono has told Asia Pacific the pair were charged with immigration offences and could face up to five years in jail.
"The charge is misusing their tourist visa to do journalism work," he said. "The police said that they were suspected of trying to attract international attention on Papua, to raise the rebellion in Papua."
Reports say Mr Dandois was arrested in the company of three members of a separatist movement.
Mr Harsono is calling for the immediate release of the journalists. "There is no point charging them. They are likely to be deported."
Human Rights Watch says the Indonesian government has restricted foreign media access to West Papua for more than 50 years.
"There must be something wrong going on inside West Papua if the restriction has been going on that long," Mr Harsono said. "Let's see if Jokowi (Indonesian president-elect Joko Widodo) is going to follow through his promise to lift the restriction."
The French embassy in Jakarta says its been in constant contact with the men. Separatists in the Papua region have long been fighting for independence.
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