Crime victims have right to legal aid: Minister

JAKARTA (JP): Amidst the proliferation of legal aid institutes in Indonesia, most proffering to defend human rights, Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman has posed an intriguing question: "What about legal aid for crime victims?"

Oetojo put this to the executives of the Institute for Legal Aid Services and Guidance (LPPH), an organ of the ruling political group Golkar, during a meeting at his office on Saturday.

"It's high time that we all think about legal protection for the victims of crimes that have been virtually ignored," he told his guests, the Antara news agency reported.

He cited as examples the increasing numbers of victims of rape and sexual harassment in Indonesia and the trend for the courts of law to let off offenders lightly.

The LPPH could act on their behalf to seek justice, he said.

The institute is planning to hold a seminar on June 8 to discuss ways of dealing with the needs of crime victims, including providing them with compensation, LPPH Chairman Martin H. Hutabarat said.

Farida Chadaria, an LPPH executive and legislator, said it is time that the law also determine the rights of crime victims. "Criminal offenders are already well protected by the Criminal Code, but what about the victims," she said.

The seminar is expected to feature government and military officials including Oetojo and legal experts such as Muladi, Satjipto Rahardjo and Baharuddin Lopa. (emb)