British academic charged in Indonesia

The Free Aceh Movement wants an independent state

A British woman held by the security forces in Indonesia has been charged with visa violations.

Lesley McCulloch, originally from Dunoon in Scotland, faces up to five years in prison if found guilty, or she could be deported.

A British embassy spokeswoman said Ms McCulloch was still being questioned by police in the northern province of Aceh, where rebels are fighting for independence.

She was arrested a week ago with an American nurse, Joy-Lee Sadler, and a local translator in a remote part of the province.

The police say they have found photographs and video footage of the separatist rebel movement in their bags as well as a laptop and documents.

The security forces may consider pressing more serious charges of aiding the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) which the government says is a terrorist organisation.

Ms McCulloch has accused the security forces of mistreating her, including denying her contact with the British embassy and threatening her with a knife.

Her mother Maddie McCulloch told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I am very concerned about it. It's been a terrible time for us, not getting information through.

"We got news from Australia that she is very, very tired... but she is normally a very strong person."

Ms McCulloch is a permanent resident of Australia and until June she taught at the University of Tasmania, in Hobart.

It is believed she was planning to write a book on Aceh.

Conflict zones

She has written many articles on the conflict, including for BBC News Online, in which she has highlighted abuses allegedly committed by the security forces.

She arrived in Aceh last month, but only had a tourist visa.

Foreigners need special permission to carry out research in Indonesia and separate authorisation to travel to any of the conflict zones.

The British embassy says it is raising with the government the allegations that Ms McCulloch was mistreated by the security forces.

A spokeswoman also described as unacceptable the fact the embassy was only able to contact her a week after she was detained.

The Aceh rebels are fighting for an independent state.

They have refused a special autonomy package and the Indonesian military has now been given a free hand to crush them.

About 10,000 people have died since fighting erupted in Aceh in the mid-1970s.