Indonesia Death Penalty Policy Provokes Worldwide Criticism

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is on its way towards executing a number of convicts who are now in the death row. Two among the many death row inmates, two of them are the alleged ringleaders of the notoriously known group ‘Bali Nine’ originating from Australia.

Surely, Indonesian President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo’s decision to implement death penalty for those who have been subjects for drug-offenses invite many criticisms both domestically and internationally. The Chairman of Indonesian legal management (YLBHI) Alvon Kurnia Palma is among many who criticise the President’s adjudication.

He speculates that the decision will be detrimental to the lives of Indonesian drug-offenders abroad. It means that, Indonesians living abroad who are now captured for drugs-offences may also be executed at whatever countries they are currently living in at the moment, the way Indonesia did to the foreigners in the country even when death penalty is not even applicable there.

"President Jokowi and his government should realize that, in the context of international relations, there are consequences following to such decision to apply death penalty. This may also lead to the consequences of Indonesia not being able to secure any of its workers abroad from similar death execution," Alvon stated in a written statement, Jakarta, Wednesday (11/02/2015).

An Attorney General, HM Prasetyo claims that there are still at least 60 death row inmates queuing to be executed. He further claims that the execution is imminent and will continue to happen despite worldwide criticism and repudiation.

Rejection is not only expressed through the social media but also through an action that is evidently threatening to the relationship between Indonesia and a number of friendly nations. Certain countries have decided to summon or told their ambassadors to retrieve back to their countries as a sign of protest against the Indonesian government decision.

As for that matter, Alvon thinks it is much more desirable for Indonesia to allow a moratorium or postponement of the execution. This would be the fairest decision as the President is still benefited with the inmates remain executed and with the inmates having more days to live.

"The most desirable decision to be applied is for the death row inmates to receive the privilege of postponement for their execution," Alvon continues.

According to him, the President ought to give a chance for the inmates to live longer through moratorium and this should be followed by the removal of acts that allow for execution to take place. From there, the Indonesian government can place their focus on improving its legal system.

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are two Australians who were arrested by the Indonesian police in Bali after their attempts to smuggle 8,2 kilograms heroin out of Indonesia. They have been sentenced to death since 2006, and thereafter, they never stop requesting for clemency from the President. Unfortunately, Jokowi is still firm with decision to execute those who are in the death row. (Akp/Tnt)