"Both are being questioned separately by the immigration officials," Chief of Papua provinces Immigration Office Garda Tampubolon stated here on Monday.
With regard to the progress made in questioning, Tampubolon noted that he was not yet sure whether an administrative sanction will be imposed on the French journalists.
Tampubolon added that the officials from the French Embassy in Jakarta had requested to make contact with the two journalists. The embassy officials were keen to know the condition of their citizens, Tampubolon remarked.
It was earlier reported that two French journalists are being interrogated by the Papua Police for their alleged close relationship with a criminal armed group (KKB) in Jayawijaya, Papua.
"They are still being questioned. We have as yet not come to any conclusion (about their case)," Papua regional police command spokesman Senior Commissioner Sulistyo Pudjo stated when asked for confirmation about the issue.
The two journalists, Charles Thomas Tendeis (40) and Valentine Sailen (25), are believed to be lovers.
Charles has been arrested for holding a tourist visa but conducting activities of a journalist, such as interviewing supporters of the armed group believed to be part of the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM) organization headquartered around Jayawijaya.
Jayawijaya police resort chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Adolof Beay had earlier reported that Charles and his girlfriend had been arrested in an area in Wamena, Jayawijaya District, on Wednesday night.
The two were riding motorcycles along with local residents, which drew police attention, as the region was considered prone to shooting incidents by the KKB.
The police then approached the foreigners and questioned their purpose and intention of being in a restricted area and traveling by motorcycles in the night.
"At first, they said they were tourists, but further questioning revealed that they were journalists. They were later arrested because they were holding tourist visas," he pointed out.
Their claim to be tourists was logical, as since Thursday, the Baliem Valley Festival was being celebrated in the region for a week, he added.
He noted that the Jayawijaya police later referred the two French journalists to the Papua regional command for further investigation.
Senior Commissioner Sulistyo Pudjo noted that Charles possessed a press card issued by ART-TV, but it had expired in 2006.
"The person concerned confessed that he was a journalist and had a press card, but it had already expired in 2006. So, he is still under interrogation," he added.
"Anywhere in any country the police have the right to question a foreigner involved in suspicious activities. So, the case will be framed using every piece of information gathered from him," Pudjo emphasized.
He explained that any foreign journalist keen to carry out journalistic work, especially in the West Papua Province, must have a permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In July 2013, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa had stated that the security situation in Papua was one of the countrys major concerns due to certain elements in the region seeking international attention by attacking international figures, including journalists.
Due to this reason, foreign journalists who seek to cover Papua must apply for a permit from the government, so that they can be provided adequate security to ensure their safety, he added.
Reporting by Evarukdijati
Translating and Editing by Amie Fenia Arimbi
EDITED BY INE
(T.A051/A/KR-BSR/F001)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
