DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – A New Zealand national diagnosed with a severe mental health disorder has remained in immigration detention in Bali for more than four months without clear legal status, raising questions about coordination between law enforcement and immigration authorities.
Andrew Joseph McLean has been held at the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center (Rudenim) since September 2025. He has not been charged with a criminal offense, nor has he been deported for immigration violations, leaving his case unresolved.
According to his legal counsel, Max Widi, McLean suffers from a serious psychiatric condition and should not be treated as a standard detainee. Medical documentation issued by RSUP Prof. dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah in Denpasar states that McLean has been diagnosed with Bipolar Affective Disorder, manic episode with psychotic symptoms.
“Article 44 of the Criminal Code clearly states that a person who commits an act while suffering from a mental disorder cannot be held criminally responsible,” Max said on Wednesday (January 21, 2026). “There is an official medical statement from a national referral hospital, yet the legal process has been left unresolved.”
The case originated from a public complaint filed in August 2025 by an Indonesian woman identified by the initials NLS, who was described as McLean’s partner. The complaint alleged assault under Article 351 of the Criminal Code. However, as of January 2026, McLean has not been formally named a suspect, and no complete police report has been issued.
Max explained that McLean was never detained by police investigators. Instead, he was placed under immigration detention. When immigration authorities prepared to proceed with deportation for visa-related violations, a formal request from Badung Police was sent to delay the process.
“There has been no interrogation record, no case file provided, and our request to formally terminate the investigation submitted in December has gone unanswered,” Max said. “As a result, our client remains in detention without legal certainty.”
McLean’s legal team stated that his mental condition has continued to deteriorate while in detention, as he requires ongoing medical treatment and close psychiatric supervision.
The lawyer also criticized what he described as poor coordination between the police and immigration authorities, arguing that prolonged detention without clear legal grounds may constitute a violation of basic human rights.
“Do not leave a person with severe mental illness detained for months without legal clarity,” Max said. “Either proceed to court or formally end the investigation so deportation can take place. If this situation continues, we are prepared to file a pretrial motion.”
As of the time of publication, Andrew Joseph McLean remains at the Denpasar Immigration Detention Center in Jimbaran, awaiting a formal decision on his legal status.