Jakarta Globe, Alin Almanar, October 08, 2016
Jakarta. A
legal rights group has urged the Indonesian government to include a moratorium
on the death penalty in a law reform package expected to be released this
month.
The
government is currently preparing the package, which officials have said would
focus on improving legal instruments, law enforcement institutions and legal
culture.
The
government could begin reforming the country's legal system by imposing a
moratorium on the death penalty, the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform
(ICJR) said.
"As
the most severe form of punishment, the imposition of the death penalty must
comply with much highest standards," ICJR executive director Supriyadi
Eddyono said on Friday (07/10).
In its call
for the moratorium, the Jakarta-based group cited unfair trials, a problem it
said has been rampant in cases that resulted in the imposition of the death
penalty.
"Proper
legal procedures, strong evidence and effective legal assistance must all be
guaranteed," Supriyadi said. "Based on the rampant problems in our
criminal justice system, it is already appropriate for the government to
examine the matter of the death penalty before it releases the law reform
package."
Having
declared a state of emergency over the high rate of drug abuse in the country,
the government has pressed ahead with the execution of death-row inmates,
especially those convicted of drug offenses.
The
government executed four inmates by firing squad in a third round of executions
three months ago. Fourteen other drug convicts were executed last year, some of
them foreign nationals.
Amid a
national and international outcry, the Indonesian government has repeatedly
called on other countries to respect its legal system.
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