Special gift planned for prisoners<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government promised yesterday to grant
\nspecial clemency to well-behaved prisoners in commemoration of
\nIndonesia's 50th anniversary, though political prisoners will not
\nbe among those shown leniency.<\/p>\n
The government will reduce the jail terms of well-behaved
\nprisoners by three months, Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman told
\njournalists.<\/p>\n
Oetojo made the remarks after installing Maj. Gen. Pranowo as
\nthe new director general of immigration, replacing Brig. Gen.
\n(ret) Roni Sikap Sinuraya. Formerly, Pranowo was the President's
\nmilitary secretary.<\/p>\n
\"The government has issued the decree for the implementation
\nof the special clemency to the Ministry of Justice offices in
\nevery province,\" Oetojo said.<\/p>\n
He added that the selection process would be handled at each
\ninmate's particular penitentiary.<\/p>\n
Oetojo, however, ruled out the possibility of granting amnesty
\nto \"political prisoners\" and simply said: \"The best thing we (the
\nministry) can do in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of
\nIndonesia's Independence is grant special amnesty to certain
\nprisoners,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another cabinet member, Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie
\nS.M., holds a view similar to the government's stand on political
\nprisoners.<\/p>\n
He hinted his opposition to a suggestion made by Roeslan
\nAbdulgani, a former chief of the Pancasila Propagation Board
\n(BP7), that the government give general amnesty to political
\nprisoners.<\/p>\n
\"It was Mr. Roeslan's right to air his personal opinion but
\nit's still the government with the authority to decide,\" he told
\nreporters after a hearing with Commission II of the House of
\nRepresentatives yesterday.<\/p>\n
Yogie said the activities of people with past links to the
\noutlawed Indonesian Communist Party are monitored by his and
\nother ministries such as the Ministry of Defense and Security and
\nthe Ministry of Justice.<\/p>\n
Oetojo also rejected the views of human rights and Pancasila
\nofficials that the government policy of stamping \"ET\", short for
\nEx-Tapol, or ex-political detainee, on the identity cards of
\npeople once detained for alleged communist activity is without
\nlegal basis.<\/p>\n
He said that the authority to impose the label came from a
\nstandard regulation for the protection of state interests.<\/p>\n
\"The authority to determine the policy for the protection of
\nstate interests is accepted in all countries in the world,\"
\nOetojo asserted.(imn\/29)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/special-gift-planned-for-prisoners-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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