Yoseph Adi Prasetyo: New First Time in Indonesia Foreign Journalists Punishable

Chairman of the Law Commission of the Press Council, Stenly Yoseph Adi Prasetyo, Thursday (10/24/2015) afternoon, presented by both legal counsel French journalists Thomas Dandois (40) and Valentine Bourrat (28), to be an expert witness in the trial continued held at the office of the District Court of Class IA, Jayapura.

Joseph who wore a brown batik in his testimony said, a person can be said to perform journalistic activities if it is able to gather information, search, manage, and publish in the mass media.

 "So if the only new observation or study of the coverage of an object, it can not be said of journalistic activity. Because it is journalistic activity a long series of inter-related, I saw it for the first time in Indonesia there are foreign journalists in criminal, "he said.

 Related activities such as the prosecutor's indictment the defendants were deemed conduct journalistic activities, according to Joseph, both of them do not perform journalistic activities, and it can not take a journalist's visa permit, as new only want to do the initial research.

 "There are two things in journalism, one can first assignment from the editor, or if the TV production house to produce a coverage, while the second, journalists themselves who took the initiative to send the initial data gathering, so that the crew and budget can be lowered to make coverage continued, if only in the form of a proposal, or the beginning of the study, it can not be said of journalistic activities, "said Joseph.

Former member of the Commissioner of the National Commission on Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia is also mentioned, should the two French journalists who were detained in Papua are deported to their home country, because a lot of experience in Indonesia, the method is being used.

 "For example, when the Santa Cruz incident in Dili, East Timor, in 1991, there were nine foreign reporters detained Indonesian government and they are deported to their home countries."

 "Then in Ache current status Operat Military Region, there is an American journalist William Nessen who met with GAM, and sought by Bambang Darmono that is the current head UP4B, and then sent home, I suppose this is the first time a foreign journalist to live a criminal," Yoseph firm.

 Joseph also added that the Press Council has also asked Papua Police chief military commander of Paradise XVII, Minister of Justice and Human Rights, as well as Chief of Police for the two French journalists return to their home country.

 "We have also met with the Dirjend Immigration in Jakarta, asking the journalists deported, because Indonesia is currently the country with the freedom of the press is pretty good in Asia, with this event, it will be very unfortunate," he said.

 Earlier, prosecutor Sukanda SH, MH, demanding two journalists from France four months in prison, a fine of 2 million dollars, subsidiary imprisonment of two months.