TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The House of Representatives (DPR) Law Commission member, Taufik Basari, questioned the detention of Mongabay journalist and editor Philip Jacobson by the Palangkaraya Immigration Office, Central Kalimantan. Taufik asked for immediate explanations.

“The Ministry of Law and Human Rights must explain the arrest of Philip,” said Taufik before reporters on Wednesday night, January 22.

Taufik said the arrest grabbed international concern since Philip was carrying out journalism duties, warning of political motives behind the immigration act.

“Do not let political issues or other non-legal interests be the basis of the detention,” the NasDem politician underlined.

Previous reports stated that Palangkaraya Immigration Office, Central Kalimantan nabbed the foreign journalist of the non-profit environmental science news outlet on Tuesday, January 21, over alleged violation of his business visa.

The Palangkaraya Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Head, Aryo Nugroho Waluyo, Philip was detained in Palangkaraya Class II Detention Center.

Earlier before, the Mongabay journalist with an indigenous rights advocacy group, the Indigenous Peoples Alliance (AMAN) of Palangkaraya chapter visited the local parliament, asking for an audience in light of a land dispute between the indigenous peoples and businessmen.

The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Chairman Abdul Manan told Tempo on Wednesday, January 22, that he strongly suspected that the arrest is related to Philip Jacobson’s journalistic activities regarding a land conflict issue in the region.

BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI