RI caught between Egypt and Australia<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The local legal system does not allow Indonesia to extradite to
\nAustralia an Egyptian charged by the neighboring country with
\npeople-smuggling, says Indonesian justice minister.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said
\non Thursday the extradition treaty between Indonesia and
\nAustralia did not cover people-smuggling, the charge leveled at
\nMoataz Attia Mohamed Hassan alias Abu Quassey.<\/p>\n
\"Quassey is not an Australian national and the charge is not
\nconsidered a crime under our Criminal Code,\" Yusril said before a
\nCabinet meeting at the State Palace.<\/p>\n
Five Australian legal experts met Yusril on Wednesday to ask
\nthat Quassey be handed over to Australia.<\/p>\n
Following Australia's demand for extradition of Quassey, Egypt
\nrequested on Thursday that Quassey be deported. During his
\nmeeting with Yusril earlier on Thursday, the Egyptian Ambassador
\nto Indonesia Ezzat Saad El Sayed said Quassey could be tried in
\nhis home country for alleged people-smuggling, provided that the
\nAustralian authorities could present sufficient evidence.<\/p>\n
The Egyptian Embassy said in its statement issued on Thursday
\nthat Australia had no legal grounds to ask for Quassey to be
\ntried there.<\/p>\n
Yusril said the Egyptian Penal Code could ensnare its citizens
\nwho commit crimes overseas, but does not cover people-smuggling.<\/p>\n
He added that the Egyptian justice ministry would send an
\nexpert to Jakarta to brief him on the issue.<\/p>\n
The minister, however, underlined that Indonesia has not
\nofficially responded to the requests from either the Australian
\nor Egyptian authorities for the handover of Quassey.<\/p>\n
\"Our decision will be in the best interests of the nation. So
\nfar, we have not decided whether to deport him to Australia or
\nEgypt.\"<\/p>\n
Quassey is wanted in Australia over the voyage in October 2001
\nduring which 353 people, most of them Afghans and Iraqis, drowned
\nwhen their overcrowded vessel sank in the Indian Ocean.<\/p>\n
The Egyptian is currently in the immigration detention center
\nafter serving a six-month prison term for visa violations. He is
\nbeing questioned over additional charges of counterfeiting an
\nIndonesian identity card for himself, a crime which carries a
\nmaximum sentence of 30 months imprisonment.<\/p>\n
Australian police have issued international arrest warrants
\nfor Abu Quassey on 76 offenses relating to attempts to bring
\npeople into Australia unlawfully. If sent to Australia, he could
\nreceive a 20-year prison sentence.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-caught-between-egypt-and-australia-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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