Govt to free 100 more political prisoners

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The government will release up to 100 political prisoners to coincide with the commemoration of Independence Day on Aug. 17.

"The number will be around 75 to 100, but the final number is still being processed. This we will do in the framework of the anniversary of the Indonesian republic," Minister of Justice Muladi said yesterday.

Indonesia celebrates the 53rd anniversary of its declaration of independence on Monday.

The release of political prisoners would be the fourth under an amnesty program pledged by President B.J. Habibie, who succeeded Soeharto on May 21.

The government has so far released 73 political prisoners but 130 others are still behind bars across the country.

The government has said that those convicted of criminal offenses, involvement with the banned Indonesian Communist Party, or attempting to replace the state ideology Pancasila would not be released.

However Muladi hinted that those to be released could include some aging prisoners incarcerated for their involvement with the failed 1965 coup which was blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party.

According to the minister they would be freed for "humanitarian reasons".

"Most of them are over 70 years old or have served jail sentences of more than 30 years," he remarked.

Muladi also said the government would no longer adopt the concept whereby a whole family would have to be scrutinized and carry the burden of having one of its members linked to the Indonesian Communist Party.

Those whose elders or immediate relatives are known to have a communist link have often faced difficulties in various aspects of life related to the government.

Muladi said such a concept would be discarded and that in future people would only be held accountable for their own actions.

"We don't want to see an innocent child, because of his parents' or relatives' activity with the communist coup, become a victim," he said. (23/44)