Mien wants capital punishment for rapists

Mien wants capital punishment for rapists

JAKARTA (JP): Rapists will be sentenced to death if Golkar
functionary Mien Sugandhi has her way.

She said yesterday that sentencing for rapists was "far too
lenient" compared to the trauma and misery which the victims bore
all their lives.

"As state minister for women's roles, I'm deeply concerned
about the leniency given to rapists. I want the death penalty for
rapists," she said while addressing a Golkar rally in Kupang,
East Nusa Tenggara.

The Criminal Code says that people convicted of sexual crimes
can jailed for up to 32 months or fined up to Rp 4,500 (US$1.80).

Mien said that, to satisfy women's demands for justice, rape
cases should be handled by women, from the questioning of
suspects in police custody to sentencing in court.

"I'm sure that if the cases were handled by women, capital
punishment or the heftiest sentences possible would eventually be
meted out to rapists," she was quoted by Antara as saying.

Mien said her office had approached the Ministry of Justice
and the supreme court to discuss revising the law on rape.

"Many men lose their common sense when they see women. They
forget that they originate from a woman's womb. It's shameful
that they have the heart to rape women," she said.

Mien also proposed that hefty punishment be handed down to men
who sexually harass women. (pan)