Good Lawyer for Expats?

[Willistayorwilligo]

Hello, grateful to be a new member on the forum. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a good lawyer for expats in Bali. A local guy is blackmailing, harrassing and threatening me because I don't want to be his girlfriend. He says that he will go to immigration telling them that I sell my art here. I think I need legal advice. Any help is much appreciated. Thank you

 

[DenpasarHouse]

There's an ad for a "Bali Lawyer" above the title of this thread. If you can't see it, the website address is: https://www.balilawyer.net/

Here's the thing though, if you are selling your art here and you don't have any sort of permission from the Indonesian authorities, then I don't think any lawyer will be able to help you. Unless there's an Indonesian organisation willing to sponsor you, your only options are to call his bluff (and risk deportation) or just leave.

 

[davita]

Hello, grateful to be a new member on the forum. I'm wondering if anyone knows of a good lawyer for expats in Bali. A local guy is blackmailing, harrassing and threatening me because I don't want to be his girlfriend. He says that he will go to immigration telling them that I sell my art here. I think I need legal advice. Any help is much appreciated. Thank you

Hi and welcome Willi....
Cannot help on recommending a lawyer but I think, given your explanation, that you need to gather all evidence of threats etc. from this guy and go to the police.
If you are needing a lawyer to discuss your business you could get free advice here if you'd like to explain what you do and what visa you are staying on.

 

[Willistayorwilligo]

There's an ad for a "Bali Lawyer" above the title of this thread. If you can't see it, the website address is: https://www.balilawyer.net/

Here's the thing though, if you are selling your art here and you don't have any sort of permission from the Indonesian authorities, then I don't think any lawyer will be able to help you. Unless there's an Indonesian organisation willing to sponsor you, your only options are to call his bluff (and risk deportation) or just leave.

Thank you... I wanted to sell art but I'm not going to risk it. I'll sell worldwide online instead. So I'm just living here on a social visa, painting and working on selling my prints abroad. I think that's legal, is it?

 

[Willistayorwilligo]

Hi and welcome Willi....
Cannot help on recommending a lawyer but I think, given your explanation, that you need to gather all evidence of threats etc. from this guy and go to the police.
If you are needing a lawyer to discuss your business you could get free advice here if you'd like to explain what you do and what visa you are staying on.

Thank you. Can I trust the police though? I don't know if they can help me... I have a social visa and I'm working from here but I'm not selling here. Think I'll just have to leave

 

[tel522]

I presume you aware the risks of breaking immigration law here and the penalties , perhaps you could get advice from lawyer, but clearly, you will need to be on the correct visa if you wish to stay here in peace .

 

[Willistayorwilligo]

I presume you aware the risks of breaking immigration law here and the penalties , perhaps you could get advice from lawyer, but clearly, you will need to be on the correct visa if you wish to stay here in peace .

yes, I'm not selling my art in Bali ... but it's my word against his

 

[ronb]

Your visa says no work. If you spend hours in a studio painting and sell the results this seems like work. Alternatively if you lead a life of leisure and occasionally sell a personal possession it is hard to make the case that you worked. I don't think you need a lawyer until Immigration is taking steps. I don't think the police will be much help. You need to stare him down and if you have friends who can provide support that will help enormously. When he threatens Immigration tell him you are not afraid because you don't work.

 

[davita]

Thank you. Can I trust the police though? I don't know if they can help me... I have a social visa and I'm working from here but I'm not selling here. Think I'll just have to leave

Clearly if your painting or photography or whatever is a hobby....that cannot be construed as 'working' on a sosbud. If you intend to sell your hobby product later in a foreign country, out of Indonesia, that also isn't a crime.
Only you will know what evidence he has, if you have not complied with Law, to have you in trouble with Immigration.
If you are confident you have sufficient evidence that this guy is a predator...of course you must trust the police...but you must be clear that what you believe as harassment, threats and, in particular, blackmail, are evidenced. Just saying you belief he was doing that will not be sufficient and they will probably not wish to believe you.
It might be better if you can copy all evidence and show this guy you mean business and will report him to the police....hopefully he'll get your message and move on.

 

[DenpasarHouse]

Thank you... I wanted to sell art but I'm not going to risk it. I'll sell worldwide online instead. So I'm just living here on a social visa, painting and working on selling my prints abroad. I think that's legal, is it?

I don't think so, it's still "working".

IMHO, if you can prove that during your stay you don't need a source of income, then you can probably just say that painting is your hobby and even get away with selling them online (in secret, and being as inconspicuous as possible). However, if it's obvious that you can't support yourself without working then I don't think they're going to side with you against your harasser.

This is pretty serious harassment, I hope you're not living alone. I know it's pessimistic, but I think the safest thing to do would be to get out of dodge. Even if it's just another area in Bali.

 

[Willistayorwilligo]

Your visa says no work. If you spend hours in a studio painting and sell the results this seems like work. Alternatively if you lead a life of leisure and occasionally sell a personal possession it is hard to make the case that you worked. I don't think you need a lawyer until Immigration is taking steps. I don't think the police will be much help. You need to stare him down and if you have friends who can provide support that will help enormously. When he threatens Immigration tell him you are not afraid because you don't work.

thank you for your advice, very helpful.

 

[Willistayorwilligo]

I don't think so, it's still "working".

IMHO, if you can prove that during your stay you don't need a source of income, then you can probably just say that painting is your hobby and even get away with selling them online (in secret, and being as inconspicuous as possible). However, if it's obvious that you can't support yourself without working then I don't think they're going to side with you against your harasser.

This is pretty serious harassment, I hope you're not living alone. I know it's pessimistic, but I think the safest thing to do would be to get out of dodge. Even if it's just another area in Bali.

thank you very much for your help

 

[Willistayorwilligo]

Clearly if your painting or photography or whatever is a hobby....that cannot be construed as 'working' on a sosbud. If you intend to sell your hobby product later in a foreign country, out of Indonesia, that also isn't a crime.
Only you will know what evidence he has, if you have not complied with Law, to have you in trouble with Immigration.
If you are confident you have sufficient evidence that this guy is a predator...of course you must trust the police...but you must be clear that what you believe as harassment, threats and, in particular, blackmail, are evidenced. Just saying you belief he was doing that will not be sufficient and they will probably not wish to believe you.
It might be better if you can copy all evidence and show this guy you mean business and will report him to the police....hopefully he'll get your message and move on.

thank you very much, i will consider all of this

 

[Markit]

Willistayorwilligo may I point out that the advice of my fellow expats comes entirely from a bunch of (old) men (this one included) and in respect of that their experience of living and (not) working here in Indonesia will be entirely different to yours.

First I would point out that as a woman you will generally not be taken seriously by any Indonesian man here unless you are accompanied by a man, be it by the police or any other group you will be asking for help. They will most probably just add to your problems in the usual ways.

Gathering evidence of sexual harassment is also pointless for the same reason.

The only realistic option I would carefully suggest would be to convince some large, hairy, young men to have a quiet word with the cause of all your problems and see if he can't be dissuaded from bothering you.

Or leave.

Sorry the "official" way is pointless IMHO but good luck.