Hotman Paris Raises Rp2.5 Billion in Donations to Help YTR Start a New Life

Lawyer Hotman Paris has conducted a fundraising campaign for YTR (29), a victim of confinement and abuse by her boyfriend, Taufik Hidayat. Hotman stated that the funds collected have now reached Rp2.5 billion. "To my clients at home and abroad who wish to donate, I hereby answer, it is enough. Nearly 2.5 billion has been collected, and that is sufficient as initial capital for Yuvita to start her life," Hotman said in his Instagram post on Saturday (27/6). Hotman said he would give the donation money to YTR to begin her new life. In the same post, Hotman criticised the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) for stating that YTR’s case was not torture. According to him, what Komnas Perempuan conveyed was highly inappropriate and hurt the victim’s family. "It is highly inappropriate for her to say that it is not torture. Even if it is true, it is highly inappropriate to say it now. It hurts her family, and it also hurts our family," said Hotman. Previously, Komnas Perempuan stated that the severe abuse case against the woman with the initials YTR could not yet be categorised as torture based on the definition in the United Nations Convention against Torture. However, Komnas Perempuan is still investigating the possibility of elements of torture in the case to ensure the application of appropriate legal provisions according to the facts found, while also pushing for the comprehensive fulfilment of the victim’s rights, including protection, recovery, and thorough case handling. Komnas Perempuan Commissioner Sondang Frishka Simanjuntak said her institution had deployed a team to Bandung to gather field facts and coordinate with various parties regarding the handling of the case. According to her, the results of the investigation will be announced to the public after the information gathering process is complete. "In the YTR case, we cannot yet see it as a case of torture under the definition of the Convention against Torture," Sondang said during the commemoration of International Day Against Torture, held online from Jakarta on Friday (26/6). YTR was a victim of confinement and torture by Taufik Hidayat for approximately three years. Taufik was successfully apprehended by a joint team from the West Java Regional Police at a housing complex in Ciparay, Bandung Regency, on Tuesday (23/6) at 18.30 WIB. Taufik is now a suspect. Police have charged Taufik under Article 466 of the Criminal Code concerning Persecution.