New Zealand's Foreign Minister has expressed hope that Indonesia's president-elect Joko Widodo will open up Papua region to international media.
This comes as two French journalists remain detained in Jayapura following their arrests in Papua over a month ago for alleged visa violations.
Johnny Blades reports.
"During his recent campaign, Jokowi said there was no impediment to opening up Papua which is restricted for foreign journalists. New Zealand's Murray McCully says his government hopes that once in power, Jokowi will move to relax the rules related to media access and ensure that journalists have the opportunity to report on Papua. Mr McCully also voiced concern about recent Indonesian police mistreatment of two young West Papuans. Amnesty International says the pair, who had painted pro-independence signs in Manokwari, were tortured, beaten, forced to roll in a sewer filled with dirty water and to drink paint. One of them is facing an incitement charge."
