Belgian photojournalist arrested in India to be released on bail
Belgian freelance photojournalist Simon Clément, who was arrested in India last Thursday, is expected to be released on bail this week, Belga learned on Tuesday from several sources close to Clément.
Clément is suspected by Indian authorities of illegally crossing the border with Myanmar. Once released on bail, he will have to stay in India until his case is heard, which may not happen for another month.
Bail conditions are unclear at the moment, with more clarity expected later this week. A local judge reportedly issued an interim ruling on Tuesday, granting bail without specifying the amount or date of payment.
Alleged arms smuggling
Clément was arrested in the state of Mizoram on suspicion of illegally crossing the border with Myanmar. He was also found in possession of an empty bullet casing, which he claimed was a keepsake.
"It provides an opportunity to question him in detail about his activities in Myanmar"
Such actions are sensitive in India because of the presence of Indian insurgents in neighbouring Myanmar, a deeply divided country with numerous armed groups.
According to Apache, a Belgian investigative news site with which Clément has worked in the past, the alleged arms smuggling is the real reason for the photographer's arrest. "It provides an opportunity to question him in detail about his activities in Myanmar," Apache wrote.
Setting an example
India's arms legislation makes an explicit exception for bullet casings. Clément is said to have been arrested partly to set an example.
"They are making a mountain out of a molehill"
The Foreign ministry in Brussels said it was aware of the case and was following it closely with the embassy in New Delhi. Clément is said to be in good physical and mental health.
The investigation could take up to 60 days. "They want to be sure that I have not committed any criminal acts, such as providing military support to the rebels," Clément told Apache. "They are making a mountain out of a molehill."
Barbed wire along the banks of the Tiau River, a natural border between India and Myanmar, 2021 © PHOTO SAJJAD HUSSAIN / AFP
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