Jakarta, IO – The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) highlights the death penalty that still occurs in Indonesia. The NGO recorded 27 verdicts from October 2022 to September 2023.
At the International Day Against the Death Penalty, Tuesday (10/10), Kontras coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya elaborated that the figure consisted of 18 convictions, including narcotics crimes, seven convictions for premeditated murder, and two other convictions for sexual violence, per CNNIndonesia, Wednesday (11/10).
“At this moment, we want to highlight the large number of death sentences that have been handed down. We found that at least 27 death sentences have been handed down,” said Dimas.
He said this shows that the road toward death penalty abolition in the country will be long and difficult. This despite Indonesia having made a breakthrough regarding reform of the death penalty policy through the revision of its Criminal Code (KUHP).
In addition, Kontras highlighted the judicial institution that handed down the majority of the death sentences, namely the District Courts.
“There were 20 verdicts handed down by the District Courts, followed by three by the High Courts, and four by the Supreme Court,” he explained.
Based on this data, Kontras assessed that the government is still passive in responding to global trends which have clearly shown a decline in death sentences.
Kontras, said Dimas, also believes that the government has failed to look at the structural problem and continues to choose this punishment as a shortcut in reducing crime cases.
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Furthermore, Dimas said the government needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the death penalty. Kontras also urges the government to stick to its commitment to eliminate all forms of cruel punishment practices, especially in the form of the death penalty.
“We consider that the current practice of the death penalty has actually become a red carpet for the state to perpetuate the practice of torture,” said Dimas. “Because torture can arise from the failure to fully implement the principles of fair trial by law enforcement agencies.” (un)