Family and friends of a young man who has been locked up without charge in one of the world’s most notorious jails are campaigning for his release.
Mathew Davies appealed for help in a message sent to WalesOnline.
The 25-year-old travelled to Indonesia last year from his home in Blackwood, near Caerphilly, to take up a job with a computer firm.
But the job didn’t work out and last month he was arrested by police for alleged immigration irregularities.
Mr Davies contacted us from his cell at Cipinang Penitentiary Institution in the country’s capital Jakarta to tell us of his plight.
In a note smuggled to WalesOnline he said: “I am currently being held in most probably one of the worst prisons in the world – Cipinang, Jakarta. I don’t know where to start..
“I am being held under immigration law apparently. They have nothing to prove I’m guilty and are just trying to extract money from me, family or one of my friends, which none of us have, so I just can’t see my way out of this...
“The embassy don’t do anything to help me. They can’t get me out of prison, provide lawyer, translator or anything that would be beneficial for me at this moment.
“The prison is so corrupt. When I was first sent here I was put in a room of 300 Indonesian rapists, murderers, thieves and God knows what else. I was the only white person in there. I couldn't sleep – if I did it would only be for an hour with one eye open. Even then I had the little money I had stolen.
“They carry shanks made from toothbrushes and they were all after me for money or food, which they think I have lots because I’m bule [an Indonesian colloquial term for a foreigner}. I have to shower from a bottle of dirty water, the water is only switched on three times a day, there’s no air circulation and there’s diseases everywhere.
Read more: Get me out! Young Welshman's plea to be released from Indonesian prison where he has been locked up without charge - Wales Online
Fund raising campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/get-matt-out-of-cipinang
Mathew Davies appealed for help in a message sent to WalesOnline.
The 25-year-old travelled to Indonesia last year from his home in Blackwood, near Caerphilly, to take up a job with a computer firm.
But the job didn’t work out and last month he was arrested by police for alleged immigration irregularities.
Mr Davies contacted us from his cell at Cipinang Penitentiary Institution in the country’s capital Jakarta to tell us of his plight.
In a note smuggled to WalesOnline he said: “I am currently being held in most probably one of the worst prisons in the world – Cipinang, Jakarta. I don’t know where to start..
“I am being held under immigration law apparently. They have nothing to prove I’m guilty and are just trying to extract money from me, family or one of my friends, which none of us have, so I just can’t see my way out of this...
“The embassy don’t do anything to help me. They can’t get me out of prison, provide lawyer, translator or anything that would be beneficial for me at this moment.
“The prison is so corrupt. When I was first sent here I was put in a room of 300 Indonesian rapists, murderers, thieves and God knows what else. I was the only white person in there. I couldn't sleep – if I did it would only be for an hour with one eye open. Even then I had the little money I had stolen.
“They carry shanks made from toothbrushes and they were all after me for money or food, which they think I have lots because I’m bule [an Indonesian colloquial term for a foreigner}. I have to shower from a bottle of dirty water, the water is only switched on three times a day, there’s no air circulation and there’s diseases everywhere.
Read more: Get me out! Young Welshman's plea to be released from Indonesian prison where he has been locked up without charge - Wales Online
Fund raising campaign: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/get-matt-out-of-cipinang