Clinic owner jailed for illegal abortions

JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court handed down a 20-month jail term and fine of Rp 3 million (US$240) yesterday to the owner of a Central Jakarta clinic which offered illegal abortion services.

Presiding judge Endang Sumarsih said Kurniasih alias Cicih, 51, was found guilty of involvement in abortions on several women, who had testified in an earlier trial session, in the period from 1995 until she was arrested last December.

"The defendant has given a bad example to the public and tarnished the country's medical community by conducting the illegal practices," Endang said.

But she added the owner of Amalia Clinic in Tanah Tinggi had admitted her wrongdoing, expressed remorse and promised not to repeat the offense.

The defendant was proven guilty of violating Article 15 (1) of Health Law No. 23/1992, which states that an abortion must constitute an emergency measure intended mainly to save a mother's life, she said.

The law also states an abortion should be approved by the pregnant mother and her husband or relatives.

Prosecutor Yunan Hardjoko earlier asked the court to sentence Cicih to three years in jail and fine her Rp 3 million.

Yunan said Cicih and two doctors, identified as Jaya Lelana and Budiman, were involved in the abortion of an average of 10 babies and fetuses a day.

She charged clients between Rp 300,000 and Rp 750,000 each, depending on the term of their pregnancies, he said.

Both the prosecutor and Cicih's lawyer were still considering yesterday whether to appeal the judge's decision.

The defendant is one of the 13 suspects in illegal abortion cases which dominated the headlines late last year.

The suspects were apprehended by police following the discovery of remains of 11 babies and fetuses disposed in plastic bags at a garbage dump in Warakas, North Jakarta, last November.

Jaya Lelana is facing a military tribunal, while Budiman is on trial in a different session at the same court.

Jaya and Budiman were charged with performing abortions on women mostly without any medical cause. Most of their clients were unmarried individuals or married women who did not want the fetuses.

They received 60 percent of the abortion fees, with the remainder earmarked for the owners of the clinics. (jun)