REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KALIANDA -- The Third Class Immigration Office of South Lampung has tightened checking process for Indonesians who want to travel to countries in the Middle East, especially Turkey.

"The move follows a ministerial directive issued to tighten checks on all Indonesians who want to go to Turkey, although the job has not been assigned to the immigration office of South Lampung," head of the office Barron Ichsan said here Monday.

Earlier, the Coordinating Ministry of Politics, Law and Security, Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, appealed to tighten checking rules for Indonesians.

According to Barron, the immigration office has no authority to restrict people from traveling abroad as they have every right to go wherever they want.

"We are not hindering their departure as it will be a violation of human rights," he added.

He noted a mechanism is in place to forbid an Indonesian from traveling abroad if any of the information about his/her destination, purpose of travel or identity proves unclear.

In such a case, an authorized institution such as the police, judiciary, ministry of finance or directorate generals of tax and customs can ban him/her from traveling.

Barron pointed out that the immigration office has been closely checking the documents of all Indonesians who want to travel to Turkey.

It has also been examining the immigration documents of people leaving for countries in the Middle East.

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