British woman released from prison in Aceh<\/p>\n
A British woman jailed for visa offenses in Indonesia's
\nrebellious Aceh province was released on Sunday after five months
\nin detention.<\/p>\n
British academic Lesley McCulloch was sentenced by a court in
\nAceh on December 30 to five months in prison for violating her
\nvisa terms. She had already been in detention since September 11
\nand that time was deducted from her jail term.<\/p>\n
"Finally, freedom," said a smiling McCullogh as she walked out
\nof the jail in Banda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Before she walked out, McCullogh told AFP she was happy her
\ndetention was over.<\/p>\n
"I will travel overseas to campaign about the situation here
\nand also in Indonesia. I want to use my case as an example to
\nhighlight what the Acehnese are facing," she said.<\/p>\n
"I think the Indonesian government should reform its military,
\nthe law, and the democratic process."<\/p>\n
McCullogh said she would fly to Medan in neighboring Northern
\nSumatra to catch a plane to Kuala Lumpur and then travel on to
\nBangkok and later to London.<\/p>\n
In Bangkok and London, she plans to talk to the press, human
\nrights organizations as well as officials.<\/p>\n
McCullogh said she would relate her "experience here and about
\neyewitnesses to the suffering of the Acehnese people, especially
\nabout the interrogation process by the police."<\/p>\n
She said she had heard the screams of Acehnese questioned by
\nthe police in Tapaktuan, a district town in South Aceh. Her
\ntravel companion, American nurse Joy Sadler, was asked by the
\npolice there to treat those injured.<\/p>\n
Sadler, 57, who has told reporters she was terminally ill with
\nan HIV-related condition, was released last month after being
\ndetained for four months.<\/p>\n
The two were arrested on September 11 last year after they
\nvisited a separatist rebel camp.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors said the women took photographs, gathered data and
\ndocuments and provided medical treatment in a village when they
\nwere supposed to be on a tourist trip.<\/p>\n
The women had told the court they had no plans to visit the
\nrebel-held area but could not refuse when armed men took them
\nthere. -- AFP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/british-woman-released-from-prison-in-aceh-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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