Asylum seeking Indonesians leave Finnish embassy

The two Indonesian men, who had arrived in the Finnish Embassy in Jakarta on Wednesday morning, left the Embassy voluntarily three hours later. The men told that they represented a youth and student organisation belonging to the separatist organisation of the Aceh province and that they were seeking a political asylum. The men were told that according to the Finnish legislation asylum can only be sought in Finland and applications for asylum are not taken by the embassies. This is a common international procedure.

The situation was solved peacefully. The Indonesian authorities assured the Finnish Embassy that the security of these persons was not under threat. The men were transported by the Embassy car to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR), where they were told about preconditions for a refugee status.

The two men were followed by a dozen journalists from local and international media. They seemed not to be under any immediate threat in Jakarta.

Additional information: counsellor Antti Rytövuori, tel 1341 5594