Two UK Journalists Face Five Years in Indonesian Prison for Visa Violation

Two British journalists are facing five years in Indonesian jail for making a documentary about piracy in south-east Asia while allegedly on tourist visas, The Guardian newspaper reported Wednesday, citing a UK foreign office spokesman.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Foreign journalists who want to report in Indonesia need to apply for a special visa which can take weeks to be issued and can be denied. Violations of Indonesian immigration law carries a possible five-year prison term.

According to the media, the trial started earlier this week.

“Embassy staff are providing assistance to two British nationals detained in Batam, Indonesia,” the foreign office spokesman said, as cited by the media.

The two journalists, Neil Bonner and Rebecca Prosser, were arrested on May 28 in Indonesia and have been held in detainment since, according to the media. They were held on house arrest for most of the time before being transferred to prison this month, the media reported.

Bonner and Prosser will appear in court again on Thursday, according to the media.