Clinic owner jailed for illegal abortions

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)