Philip Jacobsen, 30, is an award winning young journalist who has been critical of environmental degradation and reported on alleged corruption in Indonesia. Jacobsen’s passport was confiscated in December in Palangkaraya, and on January 21 he was detained under the suspicion of committing a visa violation against the 2011 immigration law. This means he could face a sentence of up to five years.
The Indonesian authorities have so far failed to provide any further details as to the details of his offence, which appears to be a simple administrative matter. This raises the concern that his detainment is instead an attempt to stifle press freedom. For this reason, the AJF is joining the call for his release.
Read more in the Committee to Protect Journalists’ report here.