The two journalists were identified as Kumkum Dasgupta, senior assistant editor of "Hindustan Times", and Raimondo Bultrini, correspondent of "Itallia L’Espresso". They were arrested while reporting on the Greenpeace rally in Pelalawan, Riau, at 3.00 pm local time. Some 30 Greenpeace activists were also arrested.

Pelalawan police forced the two journalists and Greenpeace activists to follow them to the police station to “ask them some information about their activity". Both journalists said the police did not show any arrest warrant. They are still detained at the police station.

Both Kumkum and Raimondo told the police that they have a permit from the Indonesian government to cover the event. However, the police ignored their claim.

Police said they arrested the Greenpeace activists, some of whom have been released later, because they had conducted an illegal activity on the private property of Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper Limited, namely, making a documentary film on alleged illegal logging.

In 2007, this company also sued an Indonesia daily, "Koran Tempo", for publishing an investigative report on the company's alleged illegal logging activity. The Southern Jakarta District Court fined the daily with US$150,000.

The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) condemns the arrest of the two reporters. Journalists are protected under Law Number 40//1999 on Press. Any violation of this law is subject to two years' prison term and US$ 100,000.00 penalty