Ministry of Human Rights says confinement in Bandung meets elements of human rights violation

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Human Rights (KemenHAM) has assessed that the alleged confinement of a woman with the initials YTR for three years in Bandung, West Java, generally meets the elements of a human rights violation, although further investigation is still required. “Generally speaking, does it meet the violations? Yes, because a person has the right to freedom of movement,” said Sofia Alatas, Acting Director General of Human Rights Instruments and Strengthening at the Ministry of Human Rights, in Jakarta on Tuesday. Sofia stated that every person has the right to move without experiencing unilateral restrictions. According to her, the act of restricting someone’s freedom to the point where they cannot move or carry out activities normally is in principle contrary to human rights. Nevertheless, she stressed that the Ministry of Human Rights cannot yet officially conclude that the case constitutes a human rights violation because it still requires deeper investigation. Regarding further handling, Sofia said the Ministry of Human Rights, whether through regional offices or the central office, will conduct an investigation if a case falling under its authority is found. “Usually when there is a case, there is an immediate order to go down. It could be the regional office that goes down, or we from the centre who go down because we have regional offices,” she said. The case came to light after the victim’s family received a WhatsApp message from an unknown person informing them that the victim was in the Emergency Department of Hasan Sadikin Hospital (RSHS) in Bandung. The case is now being handled by the West Java Regional Police. Police stated they will soon issue a wanted persons list (DPO) for a man with the initials TH who is suspected of carrying out the confinement and abuse. Head of Public Relations for the West Java Regional Police, Hendra Rochmawan, said investigators are currently still in the process of naming the suspect before issuing the DPO for the alleged perpetrator.