50 couples get married in Medan penitentiary<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>\n
Tanjung Gusta prison in Medan here hosted on Sunday a mass
\nwedding ceremony for some 50 couples, including inmates.<\/p>\n
The ceremony, which was also attended by Yessi Mahendra, the
\nwife of the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Yusril Ihza
\nMahendra, proceeded with mixed feelings.<\/p>\n
Several couples admitted that they were happy about getting
\nmarried, although they celebrated their weddings in prison. Some
\nothers, especially the young couples, were also happy because
\nthey were given opportunity by the warden to spend a day or two
\non "honey moon" leave outside the prison bars.<\/p>\n
The opportunity was given after the parents of those couples
\ngave money as collateral to the warden.<\/p>\n
The youngest couple (Panuiji, 17 and Rini, 15), for example,
\nexpressed their gratitude to God, because they were given an
\nopportunity to have a wedding, although it was held in prison.<\/p>\n
"We also thank the warden because we were given the
\nopportunity to spend a couple days outside of prison," said
\nPanuiji.<\/p>\n
Panuiji was sentenced to two years and eight month for drug
\npossession. He has spent one year behind bars.<\/p>\n
Panuiji admitted that he had had a special relationship with
\nRini for years, and they even had one child already, named Naya.<\/p>\n
For him, the wedding was meaningful, because it made their
\nunion official before God and the state.<\/p>\n
Yessi said that the program was arranged by the Association of
\nCivil Servants' Wives at the Ministry of Justice and Human
\nRights, which she chairs. A similar program was held in Jakarta a
\nfew months ago, and the association will again have another mass
\nwedding in Makassar.<\/p>\n
"Financial problems are the problem for them to get married,
\nand we help them tackle this problem," she said.<\/p>\n
Newly married inmates will be given a special room in the
\nprison for one night.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/50-couples-get-married-in-medan-penitentiary-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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