The Foreign Ministry immediately verified and confirmed the status of the person concerned as a diplomat and explained his rightsJakarta (ANTARA) - Foreign Affairs Ministry helped verify a Nigerian diplomat’s status over clarifying allegations of violence by South Jakarta Immigration Office’s team, Head of Jakarta Regional Office of the Law and Human Rights Ministry Ibnu Chuldun stated.
"The Foreign Ministry immediately verified and confirmed the status of the person concerned as a diplomat and explained his rights," Chuldun remarked while giving a press statement at his office, Thursday.
Chuldun emphasized that the immigration officer became aware of the diplomatic status only after the diplomat had shown his documents and identity card at the South Jakarta Immigration Office before being verified by the Foreign Ministry.
The Foreign Ministry then immediately sent a copy of the related immigration documents and diplomatic status to the Immigration Office, he confirmed.
Nigerian Ambassador Ari Usman Ogah, accompanied by police officers from the Jakarta Metro Jaya Police, also visited the South Jakarta Immigration Office.
Both parties acknowledged to a misunderstanding and agreed to resolve this issue properly, Chuldun remarked.
He later explained that the Immigration Office had also taken steps pertaining to internal coordination to improve their standard operating procedures (SOPs) over prosecuting and supervising foreigners.
Chuldun also elaborated on the chronology of events entailing one of the immigration officers conducting a routine supervision and checking the validity of the residence permit of foreign citizens.
It all started when an immigration officer arrived at an apartment in Kuningan area, South Jakarta, on Saturday, Aug 7, and asked the diplomat for a residence permit. The diplomat refused to show his identity or passport to the Immigration Supervision Team.
The diplomat, later identified as Ibrahim, was also uncooperative by rebuking the officers and challenging them to bring him to the Immigration Office for examination.
In accordance with the Indonesian immigration rules, foreigners are required to show and submit their passport or residence permit card if requested by the immigration officer.
In accordance with the immigration rules and Ibrahim's request, the immigration officer took him to the Immigration Office for further information.
Ibrahim was apprehensive and aggressive in his approach to officers, including shouting, biting, struggling, and elbowing. Ibrahim justified his behavior for not having received a response to his question on which immigration office he would be taken.
"Owing to his aggressive stance, one of the immigration officers suffered a wound on the left lip leading to swelling and bleeding, and this can be proven from an examination," Chuldun revealed.
In an effort to placate a frayed Ibrahim, the immigration officers grabbed and restrained him to prevent any further aggravation.
Once Ibrahim arrived at the South Jakarta Immigration Office, he showed his identity card, and it was later found that he was one of the diplomatic officials at the Nigerian Embassy in Jakarta, Chuldun stated.
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Translator: M Jasuma, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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