Protection against torture<\/p>\n
The uproar over the death of Tjetje in police detention has
\ndone some good. Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman yesterday said
\nthat Indonesia would shortly ratify the Convention Against
\nTorture. This is an international convention which seeks to
\nguarantee to all individuals -- even the biggest criminals -- the
\nright not to be tortured.<\/p>\n
Indonesia actually already signed this convention a long time
\nago -- to be precise on Oct.23, 1985, together with 80 other
\ncountries. By that act the Indonesian state acknowledged to the
\ninternational community its moral obligation to protect any
\nperson in areas under Indonesian jurisdiction against the threat
\nof torture in whatever form. For reasons unclarified, however,
\nIndonesia has still not ratified the document.<\/p>\n
However, it must be remembered that a ratification of the
\nconvention does not necessarily mean that there will be no more
\ncases of torture by officials. This must be underlined because
\nour problem is often not that laws are lacking. Rather, it is the
\nfact that existing laws are often not properly implemented. Take
\nfor example the protection which our present code of criminal law
\nprocedures (KUHAP) affords crime suspects. Apart from the
\nshortcomings which this code may contain, a faithful
\nimplementation of its stipulations would have prevented torture
\nsuch as that endured by Tjetje from happening.<\/p>\n
Our main problem, actually, concerns the extent to which we
\nare willing to faithfully implement existing laws and
\nregulations. Any regulation and any document is easily enough
\nviolated as long as we lack the moral conscience and moral
\ncommitment that are necessary for them to be effective.<\/p>\n
-- Republika, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/protection-against-torture-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }