Prisoners never miss elections

Prisoners never miss elections

JAMBI, Jambi: Criminals can be deprived of their physical
freedom, but not their political rights.

A total of 632 prisoners serving sentences in penitentiaries
across the province are given chances to watch television
broadcasts and learn about political parties they will vote for
June 7. A TV set is placed in a room in their respective
penitentiary complex instead of the cells, for the prisoners to
watch special broadcasts on the elections.

Amelia Abidin, an official at the provincial chapter of
Ministry of Justice, told Antara on Thursday that the inmates
were allowed to monitor all developments of the election process
taking place outside their bars because they had yet to lose
their right to vote.

There are seven prisons across the province, almost half of
them in the provincial capital.

According to law, an inmate loses his or her voting right if
they face a maximum sentence of five years.

Amelia said some of the parties contesting the polls had also
placed placards and other attributes outside the buildings in the
penitentiary complexes.

For the sake of votes, even criminals are deemed saints in the
eyes of parties. (amd)