'Govt reluctant to stop torture'

'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