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Top Indonesian Official: US Reporter Should Be 'Deported Immediately'

SasmitoMadrim

   JAKARTA - Indonesia's top security official said Friday thatdetained
   U.S. journalist Philip Jacobson should be deported immediately.

   Jacobson, 30, areporter for the California-headquartered environmental
   news outletMongabay, was detained December 17 in Borneo foran alleged
   visa violation.

   The reporter was held without formal due process after attending a
   regional parliamentary hearing involving the Indigenous Peoples
   Alliance of the Archipelago, Indonesia's largest indigenous rights
   advocacy group.

   This week, Jacobson was formally arrested and told he faced up to five
   years in prison for visiting Indonesia with the wrong visa, a claim his
   employer and U.S. officials have disputed.

   Official: Reporter's work, arrest not linked

   Speaking with VOA on Friday, Indonesia's Chief Security Minister
   Mohammad Mahfud MD reiterated claims made by Borneo officials that
   Jacobson's arrest was not linked to his reporting on sensitive stories
   about Indonesia's myriad environmental and corruption woes.

   But then he said Jacobson should be released.

   "He came to Indonesia on a visit visa and then turned out he did
   journalism activities to write the news," said Mahfud. "There was
   already evidence and then he was detained. Yes, that's the fact,
   Indonesian law is like that, but he should just be deported
   immediately."

   Mahfud's comments preceded by hours a report [1]published
   byMangobaythat saidJacobson had been "moved from prison to 'city
   detention' in Palangkaraya."

   "We are grateful that authorities have made this accommodation and
   remain hopeful that Phil's case can be treated as an administrative
   matter rather than a criminal one," saidMongabayfounder Rhett A.
   Butler. "We thank everyone for their continued support."

   Employer surprised by response

   According toMongabay, Jacobson traveled to the country on a
   multiple-entry business visa. The news outletexpressed surprise that
   Indonesian immigration officials took such stringent actions against
   its reporter forthe perceived administrative violation.

   According to various news reports, Jacobson repeatedly had entered and
   left Indonesia on a non-journalist visa. The Jakarta-based Legal Aid
   Center for the Presstold VOA the hearings Jacobsonattendedand his
   activities were "in accordance with applicable legal norms."

   Summoned Friday by the Indonesia Security Ministry, U.S. Ambassador
   Joseph R. Donovan said: "It is important for us to deal with issues
   like this through the proper channels."

   This story originated in[2]VOA's Indonesian service. Some information
   is from AFP.

References

   1. https://bit.ly/2RLqlmp
   2. https://www.voaindonesia.com/

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