Reda faces 18 months in jail

JAKARTA: State prosecutors demanded on Monday an 18-month jail term for a German journalist, who is charged with violating his visa.

Prosecutor Suharto said before the South Jakarta District Court that Seyam Reda, 42, had violated the terms of his tourist visa by working as a freelance cameraman in conflict zones.

"He is guilty of violating his visa. He is not allowed to work as a journalist under a tourist visa," he said.

The trial was adjourned until Wednesday to hear Reda's final statements.

Reda's lawyer Budi Setiawan said that the sentence demand was ridiculous as Reda did not know that he was prohibited from taking video footage under a tourist visa.

Police originally arrested Reda on Sept. 16 for alleged links to Omar al-Faruq, who was arrested in Indonesia in June and handed over to the U.S. However, investigators said that they had found no evidence to link the German to terrorism. Reda is being detained at Cipinang penitentiary.-- JP