Indonesia: House urges swift decision on death-row inmates

Kerobokan Prison

House of Representatives Commission III overseeing legal affairs has asked President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to quickly decide whether to give clemency or execute the death-sentenced inmates to ease burdens in penitentiaries across the country.

“The government must decide fast. If not, execute them soon so prisons won’t be burdened,” The commission’s chairman, Aziz Syamsudin said during a visit along with five other legislators, to the Kerobokan penitentiary in Denpasar on Saturday.

Aziz, of the Golkar Party, said the death-row inmates contributed to the problem of overcapacity at the penitentiary and were burdens on the state budget.

“Every year, it costs the government Rp 5 trillion [US$400 million] to provide food for the inmates in all prison across Indonesia. If we let prisons remain at overcapacity, we will continue to waste our state budget,” Aziz added.

Aziz said that he had received a letter from Amnesty International related to several international agreements on the death penalty that have been signed by Indonesia. Amnesty International, he said, had asked Indonesia to not implement the death penalty.

“However, according to our national law, for extraordinary crimes, convicts can be handed down the death sentence,” Aziz said.

Amnesty International’s suggestion regarding the death penalty, he said, would be followed up by revisions to several laws that stipulate the death penalty. “The government needs to revise laws so that they are in line with international agreements that have been signed,” he said.

Aziz said that Commission III had proposed revisions to, among others, the Criminal Code, Narcotics Law, and Human Rights Law, which would be further discussed next year. The commission plans to revise 14 laws until 2019.

Meanwhile, Kerobokan prison warden Sudjonggo said that overcapacity at the prison made it difficult to manage as there were currently 60 foreign inmates from 22 countries serving sentences in the prison.

Andrew Chan (L) and Myuran Sukumaran (R)

Kerobokan Penitentiary, the biggest prison on the resort island, is home to 877 prisoners, including three death-row inmates and 15 inmates serving life sentences. The prison recorded an overcapacity of 544 inmates as it should only be housing 323.

Among the death-row inmates are two members of the Bali Nine, Australians Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, and one Indonesian sentenced in a murder case. Both convicted Australian drug smugglers made pleas for clemency several years ago, but have yet to receive an answer from the President.

Meanwhile, 13 of 15 inmates serving life sentences are foreigners. Bali Nine members are also among those serving life sentences and have yet to receive answers regarding proposed sentence reductions.

According to National Narcotics Agency (BNN) data, there are currently 77 convicts on death row.

Myuran Sukumaran said he was hopeful that President Jokowi would let him live. “Please give me a second chance at life,” Sukumaran said.

Sukumaran, who is currently actively setting up workshops in the prison, said that he was trying to turn his life around. “I am trying to be a better person,” Sukumaran said.

Source: The Jakarta Post, November 18, 2014

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