Two jailed for aiding doctors in illegal abortions<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced a
\nclinic owner and a midwife on Wednesday to 20 months and 12
\nmonths in prison respectively for assisting two doctors in
\nperforming 15 to 25 illegal abortions a day.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Agus A.G. Dewata said the defendants -- Herlin
\nHerlina Taewa, 45, the owner of Herlina clinic in Tanah Tinggi,
\nand the clinic's midwife, Yuli Budiarti, 39 -- were guilty of
\nassisting doctors Budiman and Jaya Lelana from 1989 to December
\nlast year, when they were arrested.<\/p>\n
Herlina and Yuli were also fined Rp 1 million and Rp 500,000
\nrespectively.<\/p>\n
Agus said the abortions had violated Article 15 (1) of Health
\nLaw No. 23\/1992, which states that an abortion may only be
\ncarried out to save the life of the mother or the baby.<\/p>\n
According to Article 80 (1) of the law, those found guilty of
\ncarrying out illegal abortions face a maximum punishment of 15
\nyears in prison and a fine of up to Rp 500 million.<\/p>\n
\"The defendants admitted their wrongdoings and have promised
\nnot to repeat them again,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said Herlina had played a bigger role in the illegal
\nabortions than Yuli, who had been paid only Rp 50,000 a day by
\nthe clinic owner.<\/p>\n
Herlina, herself a midwife, set the abortion fees at between
\nRp 150,000 and Rp 900,000, depending on how far the pregnancy had
\nadvanced, he said.<\/p>\n
The clinic's doctors received 60 percent of the abortion fees,
\nwhile Herlina took the remaining 40 percent, he said.<\/p>\n
The two defendants burst into tears after hearing the
\nverdicts.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor F.M. Tahalele and the defendants are considering
\nwhether to appeal the judge's decision.<\/p>\n
Tahalele earlier asked the court to sentence Herlina and Yuli
\nto three years and two years in jail respectively.<\/p>\n
The defendants' lawyer, Dwi Ria Latifa, said the sentence was
\ntoo severe since the defendants had only assisted the two
\ndoctors.<\/p>\n
\"It was the doctors who performed the abortions. My clients,
\nas stated by the judge, just assisted them,\" Ria said.<\/p>\n
Doctor Budiman was sentenced by the same court on Monday to
\ntwo years in prison and fined Rp 3 million, far less than the
\nprosecution's demand for six years.<\/p>\n
Doctor Jaya, who is an Army physician, is currently facing a
\nmilitary tribunal.<\/p>\n
Police have apprehended and brought to trial 13 people this
\nyear for their involvement in illegal abortions.<\/p>\n
All of them, except Jaya, have already received jail sentences
\nranging from 10 months to two years.<\/p>\n
The trials came in the wake of a public outcry over the
\ndiscovery of the remains of 11 babies and fetuses disposed of in
\nplastic bags at a garbage dump in Warakas, North Jakarta, last
\nNovember. (jun)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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