Scholars lament pressure on judges<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): Indonesian judges find it hard to remain
\nimpartial because too many parties intervene in cases, a law
\nprofessor at the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Sudikno Mertokusumo said judges often faced dilemmas because
\nthey were squeezed by \"internal and external pressures\".<\/p>\n
\"This is not something than can be easily confirmed. But it is
\nundoubtedly felt that our judges are often pressured into making
\ncertain decisions through bribery or physical intimidation by
\npeople outside the courts,\" Sudikno told a seminar on judicial
\npower at the Diponegoro University here yesterday.<\/p>\n
Judges are pressured from within the system by
\n\"recommendations\" or telephone calls from members of the Supreme
\nCourt demanding they make certain rulings, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Pressures like these have made our judges incapable of
\nobjectivity when making decisions. Many of our judges have lost
\ntheir integrity,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The seminar also featured legal experts Muladi, Satjipto
\nRahardjo and Soehardjo S.S. from Diponegoro University, and
\nYusril Ihza Mahendra from the University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Yusril supported Sudikno's opinion, but attributed part of the
\nproblem to poor court management. He said district and provincial
\njudges were supervised by three different institutions.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Justice supervises judges handling general and
\ncivil crimes, the Ministry of Religious Affairs supervises judges
\nof religious affairs while the Ministry of Defense and Security
\nsupervises military tribunal judges.<\/p>\n
\"Judges are part of the bureaucracy and must remain loyal to
\nthe government. And then they have to deal with disputes between
\nthe government and the public. How can they be independent?\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In terms of independence, Yusril said, senior judges at the
\nSupreme Court were the same with their juniors.<\/p>\n
\"Senior judges are judges of lower courts who have been
\npromoted. They cannot relinquish their status as civil servants,
\nalthough they have become senior government officials with non-
\nactive membership at the Corps of Civil Servants,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sharing Yusril's view, Satjipto suggested reforms in the
\nsupervision of judges. (har\/imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/scholars-lament-pressure-on-judges-1447893297",
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