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)