'Govt reluctant to stop torture'

JAKARTA: The government is been slammed for lacking seriousness in implementing the United Nations Convention against Torture, which requires an end to state-sponsored torture against citizens, a non-governmental organization says.

The government ratified the UN Convention in 1998 but no significant improvements had been made since then to reduce the incidence of torture against citizens, the NGO told a discussion on Thursday.

Gen. (ret) Chaeruddin Ismail, a former National Police chief, admitted that police headquarters was unable to control the practice among officers in the field. Many suspects changed their statements at the trial stage, saying they signed confessions during police interrogation due to torture.

Indonesia has to submit its second progress report, after the one submitted in 2001, to the UN Committee against Torture by next year. Previously, the committee had recommended that Indonesia respect the rights of alleged criminals and suspects. -- JP