US journalist arrested in Indonesia over alleged visa violation

An American journalist working for an environmental website has been arrested over an alleged visa violation in Indonesia that could send him to jail for years, his employer said Wednesday.

Philip Jacobson, 30, was initially detained last month after attending a hearing in Borneo involving the local parliament and the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago, Indonesia's largest indigenous rights advocacy group, the website Mongabay said.

This week, Jacobson was formally arrested and told he faced up to five years in prison for visiting Indonesia with the wrong visa, it added.

He had travelled to the country on a business visa, according to Mongabay.

"We are supporting Philip in this ongoing case and making every effort to comply with Indonesia's immigration authorities," said Mongabay chief Rhett A. Butler.

"I am surprised that immigration officials have taken such punitive action against Philip for what is an administrative matter."