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)