A 25-year-old French tourist with the initials ER has been arrested by Class I Immigration Office officers at TPI Mataram in an operation with the Directorate of Intelligence and Security of West Nusa Tenggara Regional Police.
He was arrested after causing trouble at a mosque in West Lombok. The arrest was conducted at ER’s house in Green Valley Housing, Senggigi, West Lombok on Tuesday, 28th March 2023, at around 7.30 pm.
The Head of Class I Immigration Office TPI Mataram through the Head of Immigration Information and Communication Technology (TIKIM), Slamet Wahono said that ER made a commotion at the mosque on Saturday, 25th March 2023.
“ER entered the Nurul Huda Mosque without taking off his shoes. Even though at that time the people had warned him to take off his shoes because he crossed the sacred line,” Wahono said in a written statement on Friday, 31st March 2023.
According to Wahono, ER also protested the congregation of the mosque because he said the loudspeaker during the call to prayer was making too much noise.
“ER also questioned the sound which he considered to be noisy and disturbing to his rest time. He also let people take videos to make him viral,” said Wahono.
Residents reported the man to Immigration. ER is now set to be subject to deportation sanctions.
“After conducting a further examination, it was concluded that ER was proven to have violated article 75 paragraph 1 of law number 6 of 2011 concerning Immigration. For this reason, he will be given immigration administrative action in the form of deportation,” said Wahono.
Wahono explained that his team is committed to carrying out the directives of the Director General of Immigration Silmy Karim regarding foreigners who disturb public order.
“We are ready to take firm action against any foreigner in our area who carries out activities that are reasonably suspected of endangering security and public order or of not respecting or disobeying the applicable laws and regulations,” said Slamet.