The agreement is the first ever extradition agreement between Indonesia and a European country. Yasonna explained that diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Russia have been established for 73 years, beginning on February 3, 1950.
According to Yasonna, both countries have a very vast territory which make them vulnerable to being a haven for fugitives.
“Although the mechanism for repatriating the perpetrators of criminal acts can also be carried out through deportation, extradition remains the main option because it is formal and binding,” said Yasonna.
He said the signing of this extradition agreement was in line with President Joko Widodo’s directive to strengthen law enforcement with focus on eradicating money laundering and terrorism funding.
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“The extradition agreement between Indonesia and Russia also sends a strong signal to deter and eradicate crimes that can potentially threaten the stability and integrity of the financial system,” said Yasonna. (rr)