Habiburokhman Gratified that Medan Seafarer Fandi Ramadhan Avoided the Death Penalty in Drug Case

Fandi Ramadhan, a Medan crew member (ABK Medan) involved in the smuggling of 1.9 tonnes of methamphetamine, escaped the death penalty. The chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission III, Habiburokhman, expressed relief that Fandi was not sentenced to death. Habiburokhman had previously criticised calls for the death penalty in this case, arguing that it is a last-resort punishment under the new Penal Code (KUHP) and should be applied selectively. ‘Praise be to God, we are also grateful that Fandi was not sentenced to death. This demonstrates that the panel of judges genuinely understands the principles and norms within the new KUHP and KUHAP, which are oriented toward substantive justice and rehabilitative aims,’ Habiburokhman said on Thursday (5 March 2026). He added that the panel has understood that, according to Article 98 of the KUHP, the death penalty is the last resort, and its application must be highly selective. ‘We are truly relieved that our efforts to help ordinary people seek justice have yielded a good result,’ he said. The verdict was read in a Batam District Court hearing on Thursday (5 March 2026). The panel, led by presiding judge Tiwik and comprising judges Douglas Napitupulu and Randi Jastian Afandi, found Fandi guilty. ‘Sentencing the defendant Fandi Ramadhan to five years in prison,’ said presiding judge Tiwik as he read the sentence.