An Indonesian court on Tuesday sentenced two British journalists to short jail terms after finding them guilty of violating immigration laws by trying to make a documentary in the country without the correct visas.
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British journalists Neil Bonner, second left, and Rebecca Prosser, right, are escorted by armed police officers after their sentencing hearing at the local district court in Batam, Indonesia, Tuesday, November 3, 2015. “We will pay the fines to ensure they can be freed on Thursday”.
In previous trials, Bonner and Prosser said the documentary aimed to look into the cooperation between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore in securing the Malacca Strait.
Presiding judge Wahyu Prasetyo Wibowo said the defendants had violated their visas but admitted their wrongdoing and apologised. They were held under house arrest for four months before being transferred to a prison in Batam in September.
However, foreign journalists still need to apply for special visas that can take weeks to be approved or denied.
Nine Indonesians working with the Britons were also arrested but released on bail two days later, according to media reports.
But prosecutor Bani Ginting, in his closing remarks to court, said the two journalists were “legally and convincingly guilty” of misusing their tourist visas for “inappropriate activity”.
The journalists’ attorney, Aristo Pangaribuan, slammed the prosecutors and considered filing an appeal of the verdict.
The journalists were working for London-based production company Wall to Wall and the trip was being funded by National Geographic. She has created a support WhatsApp group and said their family at home were waiting anxiously for news.
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“We have been bowled over by the support we have received from around the world and especially that of the Indonesian journalist community who held a rally in support of Becky and Neil”.
