Indonesia is considering legal steps to secure the release of its citizens detained by Israeli forces after an attack on the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra, coordinating minister for legal affairs, said the Indonesians were detained after Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla near waters off Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean on Monday.
“This matter must be clarified immediately, and we will soon take firm legal steps because in our democratic country there are guarantees of freedom and civil rights, so our people should not face pressure or lose their freedoms,” Jakarta Globe cited Yusril on Tuesday.
However, Yusril noted that the government had not yet received official confirmation of the detentions and said coordination with the Foreign Ministry was ongoing.
“So far, I have not received complete information, but I will gather as much information as possible and later explain the matter in greater detail,” he added.
Indonesia does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
Earlier, Indonesia condemned the Israeli military's interception of the flotilla carrying humanitarian aid. Nine Indonesian citizens, including two journalists, were detained by Israel according to reports.
"We are deeply concerned about reports involving Indonesian journalists currently covering the humanitarian mission to Gaza," Indonesia's Communication Minister Meutya Hafid said, according to state-run Antara News agency.
According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, 10 boats from a 60-vessel convoy were attacked in international waters and boarded by Israeli forces earlier on Monday.
On Tuesday, Israeli media reported that around 40 vessels of the flotilla had been seized by the Israeli navy and about 300 activists detained.
The flotilla set sail on Thursday from the Turkish Mediterranean district of Marmaris in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007.
Organisers said the mission included 426 participants, among them 96 Turkish activists and participants from 39 other countries, including Germany, the US, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Algeria, Indonesia, Morocco, France, South Africa, the UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Egypt, Pakistan, Tunisia, Oman and New Zealand.
This is not the first such attack on the flotilla.
On April 29, Israel attacked the flotilla off the coast of the Greek island of Crete.
