New Zealand Ministry of 
 
Foreign Affairs and Trade 
Manatū Aorere   
 
20 August 2024 
195 Lambton Quay 
Private Bag 18−901 
 
Wellington 6160 
 
New Zealand 
 
Rhys 
T    +64 4 439 8000 
[FYI request #27822 email] 
F    +64 4 472 9596 
 
 
OIA 29574 
 
Tēnā koe Rhys 
 
We refer to your email of 25 July 2024 in which you request the following under the Official 
Information Act 1982 (OIA): 
1-  New Zealand citizens registered with MFAT currently held in prison, detention or local 
Government pre-trial facilities in South East Asia including Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, 
Myanmar and Indonesia. 
2-  State their current prison or facility name they are located within. 
3-  For each, please state their charges faced and/or convictions if convicted already. 
4-  For those incarcerated, please state their date incarcerated, sentences handed down and 
expected release dates if known. 
 
We note that we have interpreted your request for ‘South East Asia’ to include: Brunei, Myanmar, 
Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet 
Nam. 
 
Information relevant to your request is set out in the table below and is also attached as an excel 
spreadsheet, as requested. We have withheld the current prison or facility name, the date 
incarcerated and the expected release date under section 9(2)(a) of the OIA; to protect 
individuals’ privacy. This information is being withheld because the numbers of cases are very 
low, and the release of those details could allow identification of individuals.  
 
Where the information has been withheld under section 9 of the OIA, we have identified no public 
interest in releasing the information that would override the reasons for withholding it. 
 
Country  Prison/ 
Charges/ Convictions 
Sentence 
Detention centre 
Indonesia Prison 
Narcotics 
15 
years 
 
Detention Centre 
Undesirable alien due to previous criminal 
Under 
Philippines 
history  
preliminary 
investigation  
Prison 
Possession of narcotics & drug paraphernalia 
Awaiting trial 
Thailand 
Prison 
Drunk driving causing damage & no driver 
Awaiting trial  
licence 
Prison Narcotics 
Life 
e   [MFAT request email]  
w   www.mfat.govt.nz 

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Country  Prison/ 
Charges/ Convictions 
Sentence 
Detention centre 
Prison Homicide 
Life 
Viet Nam 
Prison 
Robbery 
Awaiting trial  
Prison 
Embezzlement 
Awaiting trial  
This data is correct as of 1 August 2024 
 
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official information 
requests where possible. Therefore, our response to your request (with your personal information 
removed) may be published on the Ministry website: www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/contact-
us/official-information-act-responses/  
 
If you have any questions about this decision, you can contact us by email at: 
[email address]. You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the 
Ombudsman of this decision by contacting www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 
0800 802 602. 
 
Nāku noa, nā 
 
Sarah Corbett 
for Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
 
 

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