Death row convicts await their end

Death row convicts await their end

JAKARTA (JP): Sixteen convicts, including six foreigners as
well, are scheduled to be executed in the near future after being
convicted with premeditated murder or the production and
trafficking of drugs, said a senior legal official on Wednesday.

The convicts, three of whom are women, are serving sentences
at nine penitentiaries throughout Indonesia, according to a
report available at the Directorate General of Correctional
Institutions.

The director general of correctional institutions, Hasanuddin,
said the convicts awaiting the death penalty were Bahar bin
Matar, Suryadi Swabuana, Djais A.P, Sugeng, Astini, Sumiasih,
Gerson Pandi, Fedrick Saru, Dauce Saru, Tugiman, Koh Kim Chea,
Kam Jai Khong, Ayodya Prasad, Saelon Prasad, Thom Tuck Yen and
Namsong Sirilok.

The last five convicts, all foreigners, were sentenced to
death for the production and trafficking of drugs, and Koh Kim
Chea for premeditated murder. Koh is kept at Cipinang
penitentiary in East Jakarta.

Hasanuddin said prison officials were instructed to treat the
convicts differently from others.

"We've been treating them differently. Psychologically, they
are different from other convicts," he told The Jakarta Post in
his office on Wednesday.

He noticed that the convicts suffered depression after
requests for clemency from the head of state were rejected.

"We, therefore, provide priests or kyais (Muslim priests) to
assist them in their search for peace of mind," he said.

He said, however, that the convicts were placed in separate
cells from other prisoners.

"We put them in special prison cells, separated from other
convicts.

"Their cells are also of a special design inside," said
Hasanuddin without elaborating.

He said they would be treated the same as other convicts were
if they behaved well and worked cooperatively with prison
officials during their stay.

"However, we separate them from other convicts for a certain
time period, usually a week, if they protest often, trigger hate
among convicts or show a hostile attitude to prison officials,"
he said.

Hasanuddin said each prison allocates time every day for
prisoners to do gardening, sports or chat outside prison cells,
still within the penitentiary complex.

Execution

Hasanuddin said the execution of the convicts would depend on
the President's reply to their request for clemency.

"The President's reply will usually give a deadline for the
execution. The Prosecutor's Office will order a team under the
Elite Police Mobile Brigade to conduct the execution," he said.

He said the firing squad would consist of 12 policemen and
only one gun would have bullets.

"It is meant to ease the guilt felt among the firing squad
after the execution," he said.

Hasanuddin dismissed the possibility that the execution would
be conducted through methods other than a shooting.

He personally disagreed with the death sentence, however,
saying that it was against human rights principles.

"The death penalty is also against the principle of the
correctional institution, which aims to rehabilitate the
convicts' behavior and bring them back to the community," he
said. (asa)