Minister Pigai's Stance: No Restorative Justice for Taufik Hidayat

Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has called for strict law enforcement against Taufik Hidayat, a suspect in the alleged false imprisonment and abuse of a 29-year-old woman identified as YTR in Bandung Regency, West Java, without applying restorative justice. Pigai stressed that handling the case must prioritise legal enforcement to prevent similar incidents from recurring. He stated that the alleged physical and psychological torture of the victim had injured human dignity and honour. ‘I demand the legal process proceed and that there be no restorative justice. Punishment must be given so that the same act does not happen again in the future,’ he said in Jakarta on Monday (29/6). According to Pigai, the Ministry of Human Rights was one of the first agencies to go into the field through its West Java Regional Office to monitor the handling of the case. He emphasised that the state must be present to ensure the victim obtains justice and protection of human rights. Pigai assessed that the alleged abuse, accompanied by physical and psychological torture, not only injured the victim but also impacted her family and created fear within the community, especially among women. Therefore, all legal provisions regarding the protection of women and children must be applied consistently. He noted that women and children are vulnerable groups that must receive state protection through various institutions, such as the National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan), the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), and the Ministry of Human Rights. ‘In humanity, there is a relationship between a man and a woman to protect and look after each other, not to torture one another,’ he said. Pigai also asked law enforcement officers to pay attention to the sense of justice of the victim and her family in handling the case. He stated that the measure of justice must consider the perspective of the victim and family, not solely the assessment of other parties. The government, Pigai continued, will continue to push for law enforcement in cases related to human rights violations to prevent recurrence and ensure optimal protection for vulnerable groups. The West Java Regional Police have arrested Taufik Hidayat, who is suspected of falsely imprisoning and abusing YTR in Bandung Regency for approximately three years. The Head of Public Relations of the West Java Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Hendra Rochmawan, said Taufik was arrested in the Greater Bandung area, though the police have not yet detailed the location or time of the perpetrator’s arrest. The case came to light after the victim’s family received a message via WhatsApp from an unknown person informing them that the victim was in the Emergency Department of Hasan Sadikin Hospital (RSHS) in Bandung.