Kiribati has detained Nine Network journalist Liam Bartlett and other members of a 60 minutes crew and will deport them from the country after denying their request to film.
Kiribati government officials said the Australians has been detained since Tuesday due to ‘false and misleading information’ over the purpose of their visit
They [60 Minutes] intentionally came to Kiribati without applying for a permit and then lied about the reason for their visit to immigration officers at the airport," a Kiribati Government spokesperson said.
The crew was reportedly there to film a story about Kiribati’s decision to cut ties with Taiwan and establish diplomatic relations with China.
The journalists are the second 60 minutes crew to be detained overseas, following the program’s botched recovery of two children from Beirut in 2016.