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Jakarta begins release of detained foreigners

Indonesian officials have begun releasing the first of 30 foreigners, including 18 Australians, who were being investigated by police for breaching visa regulations.

Mark Bowling reports immigration officials are still checking the visa status of the Australians, but say they're free to stay or leave the country.

The Australians are part of a group of 32 foreigners taken into custody last Friday after armed police raided a seminar they were attending on workers rights. A Sydney woman and her four year old daughter were released and returned home yesterday. Today the remaining foreigners were interviewed by police and then immigration officials who have made it clear they would not be deported and are free to chose whether they will be stay in Indonesia or return home. Some of the Australians say they will stay. On Friday all of the foreigners were attending an Asia Pacific Labor Solidarity conference when armed police broke up a seminar and took them into custody. A group of Islamic extremist militia followed the police raid and beat up some of the Indonesian delegates. Mark Bowling, Jakarta.

11/06/01 19:21:36 | ABC Radio Australia News

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