Antidrug activists demand death sentence for Zarina
JAKARTA (JP): At least 100 activists grouped in the People's Anti-Drug Movement, or Geram, packed City Hall on Monday and demanded the death sentence for Zarina Mirafsur if she is found guilty of drug offenses.
The antidrug campaigners said the heavy penalty was sorely needed to end rampant drug trafficking in the capital.
"We urge Governor Sutiyoso to press all related parties in the law enforcement system, such as police officers, prosecutors and judges, to give Zarina, as well as other drug-related suspects, the death penalty if they are proved guilty," Geram coordinator Sofyan Ali said during the peaceful rally.
The activists, who included students and ulemas, arrived at City Hall at 9 a.m. in five buses, unfurling posters and a big banner that read: "Death sentence for Zarina and friends."
The protesters, who came from different areas, including Bogor and Cilegon, wore red headbands decorated with Geram's name.
Zarina was detained together with nine other suspects after an early morning raid last Thursday at five apartments in a West Jakarta hotel.
The raid uncovered 835 ecstasy pills, 51.2 grams of shabu- shabu (crystal methamphetamine), 28 pornographic movies, six bongs and two small scales.
Zarina, 27, was dubbed the "Ecstasy queen" two years ago after she was sentenced to four years in jail for possession of 29,677 ecstasy pills. She was granted a conditional release on Oct. 21 last year and worked for her former lawyer O.C. Kaligis until a few months ago.
Deputy Governor for Social welfare Affairs Djailani, who received the Geram activists, did not directly respond to the group's demand, but voiced strong support for their antidrug campaign.
"The drug traffickers, if found guilty, should be punished according to the existing laws," Djailani said after signing the banner.
He however reminded the public not to take the law into their own hands against suspected drug users or traffickers.
Addicted officers
Separately, city councilor Syamsuardi Botan suggested on Monday that the tough sentence should also be handed down for suspects of drug-related cases, including police officers.
"Many police officers have been reported to have used drugs. They should also be punished," said National Mandate Party (PAN) representative Syamsuardi.
From City Hall, the Geram activists headed to the Central Jakarta District Court, with the same demand for tougher sentences for criminals convicted of drug-related offenses.
"The media have repeatedly reported on the terms of punishments given to suspects by judges, which were much lighter than those set by prosecutors," Sofyan Ali shouted.
He said such unpopular decisions had sparked the public's concern on possible collusive, corrupt and nepotistic practices behind the judgments.
"Tough sentences from the judges will help deter community members from using or trafficking in drugs," Sofyan added.
The group was received by the head of the court, Sihol Sitompul, who appeared with at least 10 judges.
An ulema with Geram, Habib Muchdar, read the following statement to the judges: "The court must uphold the supremacy of the law and reject all kinds of bribes which could prompt the judges to reduce sentences for drug-related defendants."
He warned that should the judges fail to comply with their demands, judges would face a series of similar protests in the future.
Judge Sihol promised to meet the calls for reform, saying that he would take tough measures against colleagues who were involved in bribe taking.
Unplanned
Meanwhile, a source at Jakarta Police Headquarters revealed on Monday that Zarina's arrest last Thursday was unplanned.
The officer, who asked for anonymity, said that a group of city police detectives were in the process of apprehending a suspected major Taiwanese drug dealer and his two friends at the West Jakarta hotel when they by chance heard a noise in another room in the hotel apartment.
"We found Zarina and Ahian Santoso in the room with the drugs. We later searched four other apartments and found the remaining eight suspects and confiscated the drugs and pornographic movies," the police source said.
He said the Taiwanese man, identified only by his nickname Chan, had been under intense police surveillance because the foreigner allegedly planned to build a big factory here to produce shabu-shabu.
"He and his two friends are still undergoing police interrogation," he said.
Separately, a meeting held on Monday between officials from the East Jakarta Cipinang penitentiary and city police detectives concerning Zarina's conditional release status ended inconclusively.
Should police be able to support accusations concerning Zarina's involvement in the illegal drug business, Zarina would most likely be returned to Tangerang Women's Penitentiary.
Zarina insisted again on Monday that she had been set up by her interrogators to sign a statement in which she was named a drug-related suspect in the Thursday raid.
"I did not know what the dossier was all about. I was set up ... to sign it," Zarina said in a two-page letter released to the media. (jun/ylt/asa)