Two under cover French journalists were arrested in West Papua last week.

Thomas Dandois and Valentine Bourrat, were reporting for a documentary for a Franco-German channel Arte and have been accused of working illegally in Indonesia.

Thomas Dandois, 40,was arrested in his hotel in the city of Wamena in the West Papuan Highlands on Thursday.

He was with three members of the outlawed Free Papua Movement (OPM), which has fought for decades for independence for the Melanesian provinces from the Indonesian government, reported Radio France Internationale.

It is unclear under which circumstances Valentine Bourrat, 29, was arrested.

According to Indonesian police in Papua, the OPM members come from an area in the centre of Papua where five of their group were killed last week during a gun battle with the Indonesian military.

Two policemen were also killed earlier in the week in an ambush.

The OPM rebels accuse the government and the army of repression against the West Papuans.

The provincial police spokesperson, Sulityo Pudjo Hartono, said the authorities were concerned that the French nationals were part of a plan to create insecurity and instability in Papua.

Foreign journalists who are detained in Papua are usually deported.

However, Hartono said that Dandois and Bourrat were still being held for questioning.

The French Embassy indicated that they were in contact with the journalists, and with the Indonesian Foreign Ministry and the police in Jakarta and in West Papua.

Both journalists were reportedly working illegally in the country, with tourist visas.

Jakarta’s government rarely issues visas to journalists who want to go to West Papua.

Police often claim that journalists are denied permission to enter for their own security.

Indonesian police say foreign journalists remain banned from Papua by central government.

This is despite the Governor of Papua, Lucas Enembe, last October declaring that he welcomes foreign journalists to Papua to witness the progress taking place there.

Indonesia has been frequently criticised for its effective ban on foreign journ alists in West Papua, with the New Zealand parliament passing a motion calling for the “right of local and international journalists to report on the political situation without risk of imprisonment or harassment” by the ruling state of Indonesia.

Dandois has reported from Somalia, Burma, Kosovo, Darfur and the Gaza Strip. He was arrested and jailed for a month while covering the Tuareg rebellion in northern Niger in 2007.

Bourrat is a freelance photographer and videographer.

Benny Wenda, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and founder of the Free West Papua campaign, released a statement calling for their release.

“We thank them for their bravery and support in working to tell our story. For 52 years now the Indonesian military has been trying to hide what they are doing in West Papua and keep us silent. This is why they always try to stop the foreign journalists reporting.

“But with the determination of our people and the growing support of people all around the world, finally, after 500,000 of our people already killed, we are being heard.

“We are calling for all people around the world who believe in justice, freedom and democracy, including all journalists and media to support the two French journalists, and put pressure on the Indonesian government to release them immediately.

“This is 21st century and still Indonesia is arresting journalists for telling the truth.”

Reporters without Borders has called for the release of the two French journalists.

Reporters without Borders, which helps defend freedom of information around the world, says the pair has been held for six days after being arrested in Wamena and were interrogated for 36 hours.

The group says the reporters have since been transferred to Jayapura where they are being held.

It says they were covering local people’s living conditions and separatist demands and says their detention is a violation of media freedom.

The pair face a maximum potential jail term of five years and a fine of more than $US40,000 US dollars.