Tommy among remission recipient on Idul Fitri<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Multiple-offense convict Hutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra, the
\nyoungest son of former president Soeharto, was among inmates
\nreceiving remission in conjunction with the Islamic Idul Fitri
\nholiday last Friday.<\/p>\n
Remission was also granted to his father's golfing buddy,
\nMohamad \"Bob\" Hasan, a timber tycoon, who was sentenced to six
\nyears in jail for corruption. Both Tommy and Bob are now serving
\njail terms in Batu prison, one of four penitentiaries situated on
\nmaximum security Nusakambangan island, off the Central Java town
\nof Cilacap.<\/p>\n
Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra
\nannounced that the government had granted remission to 32,666
\ninmates of a total 51,003 prisoners nationwide, with 1,515 of
\nthem leaving prison early as a result.<\/p>\n
The inmates received various reductions in sentence, ranging
\nfrom two weeks to two months.<\/p>\n
\"Granting remission for prisoners who have served at least six
\nmonths of their sentence is an obligation on the government,\" he
\nsaid in a speech after Idul Fitri mass prayers at Salemba prison,
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Yusril referred to Presidential Decree No. 174\/1999 on minimum
\nrequirements for the grant of sentence reduction. Remission is
\ngranted annually in conjunction with Independence Day on Aug. 17
\nor on holidays, such as Idul Fitri and Christmas.<\/p>\n
Tommy, who had just served his first six months in jail for
\nmasterminding the assassination of Justice Syafiuddin
\nKartasasmita, possession of illegal firearms and escape from
\njustice, was granted a one-month reduction on his 15-year
\nsentence.<\/p>\n
Earlier, on Independence Day, the government granted him one
\nmonth's remission, although he had barely started prison life,
\nafter the verdict in July. At that time, Yusril argued Tommy had
\nalready been in detention for eight months during the trial.<\/p>\n
Bob, who was also granted one month's remission last Friday,
\nhad his sentence reduced by five months due to good behavior. He
\nhad been in prison since February last year.<\/p>\n
The remission not only reduced the sentence of the prisoners.
\nMany ended their jail terms as a result, but without the
\nknowledge of their families.<\/p>\n
Supratman, in his 40s, was one of four inmates at Salemba
\nprison released last Friday as a result of remission.<\/p>\n
He had served one year less than the original six he had been
\ngiven for his involvement in a robbery. He was granted the
\nremission solely due to his good conduct, which means he never
\ngot involved in fights or brawls among prison inmates.<\/p>\n
But he still had no idea what he would do on the outside.<\/p>\n
\"I don't know ... I have to be the breadwinner for my wife and
\nson,\" Supratman managed to tell reporters while waiting for his
\nfamily who had yet to hear the good news.<\/p>\n
The huge number of prisoners at Salemba, currently 2,348,
\nforced warders to limit the meeting time between prisoners and
\ntheir families and relatives to no more than 45 minutes per
\nprisoner during the Idul Fitri holiday. The prison's designed
\ncapacity is only around 1,300 prisoners.<\/p>\n
Warden of Salemba prison Bambang Isbanu said that he estimated
\nmore than 3,000 visitors arrived last Friday, so, as a
\nprecaution, he ordered prisoners to wear dark-blue uniforms while
\ndetainees awaiting trial wore light-blue uniforms to distinguish
\nthem from the crowd.<\/p>\n
But Nursidah, whose son Herman was detained for fraud,
\ncomplained.<\/p>\n
\"Why only 45 minutes? That's what we get on regular days. They
\nshould have given us two hours. Today it is Idul Fitri, after
\nall!\" she told the Post.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tommy-among-remission-recipient-on-idul-fitri-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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