A former Australian University lecturer who is being held by police in the Indonesian province of Aceh is reportedly sick and in need of medical attention.

The head of political and international studies at Deakin University in Melbourne, Damien Kingsbury, says he contacted Lesley McCulloch last night and is concerned for her well-being.

Dr McCulloch, a British national, has been held with an American nurse at Banda Aceh police headquarters for the past two weeks. The two have been charged with violating their tourist visas.

Police allege the women made contact with separatist rebels and were found with video footage of the Free Aceh Movement, as well as documents relating to the rebels.

Dr Kingsbury says Dr McCulloch spoke to him about her treatment by local authorities.

"She basically has not eaten properly for two weeks, she has been in custody now for two weeks, she has had less than one meal a day," Dr Kingsbury says. "She is run down, she's sick and she needs to be looked at urgently," he says.