Two French journalists who were set to be deported back to France on Wednesday after being detained in Papua for allegedly violating their visas have been allowed to stay in the country for two more days.
“Indeed, with the strong support of the French Embassy and Todung Mulya Lubis, the Deparment of Immigration has confirmed that we have two days before we have to leave Indonesia,” Baudouin Koenig, a producer for Paris-based production company Mano a Mano, said in a statement.
Todung is a high-profile lawyer from Transparency International Indonesia.
“We will try other solutions to finish our film,” he said, adding that they would use the time to muster support for another extension that would allow them to finish their documentary film project “Indonesia Tomorrow.”
Koenig, who has been in Indonesia since April 26, earlier told the Jakarta Globe that he had all the necessary permits to work on the project in Indonesia and that he has been shooting in other parts of Indonesia for “the biggest documentary film ever made on Indonesia by French television” about the democratization process in the country.
Koenig questioned the Jayapura immigration office’s reasons for arresting him and his colleague, Carole Lorthiois, a student intern.
“I completely complied with all the rules and have all the necessary documents,” Koenig said, adding that he had a valid journalist’s visa and a foreign journalist’s press card issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Koenig and Lorthiois were reportedly detained while taking footage of a protest rally in front of the Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) in Jayapura.
Teuku Faizasyah, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the French journalists breached their reporting permit. “They should not have covered an event or theme outside the coverage permit,” he said.
But Koenig said the subject of the film, which has a permit, was clear: “Portraying the emerging economic power, the G-20 member, the biggest Muslim democracy in the world in the mirror of Pancasila and democracy. From 1945 to 2010, from Aceh to Papua.”
“So, the same institutions cannot pretend today that they only accredited me for a film on tourism and the beauty of Indonesia,” he said.