35 asylum seekers questioned in separate locations

The Immigration Directorate General’s spokesman, Maryoto Sumadi, says Yogyakarta’s immigration office has decided to question the 35 foreigners whose boat recently stranded in Bantul waters, Southern of Yogyakarta, in two separate locations.

“We are now detaining them in separate places. The Afghanis, who do not have passports, are being detained in the Bantul detention center while the two Iranians, who do have passports, are now being questioned at the Yogyakarta Immigration detention center,” Maryoto told The Jakarta Post on Saturday without further elaborations.

The immigration office has dealt with similar cases throughout the country. Most of the cases involve foreigners who have escaped their country of origins due to political oppression or unemployment.

The asylum seekers use boats to travel to Australia, but often their boats become stranded in Indonesian waters. As a result, the Indonesia government returns them back to their home countries.