South Papua grants general remission to 418 inmates at Merauke Prison

South Papua Regional Secretary Ferdinandus Kainakaimu has granted general remission to 418 inmates at the Class IIB Merauke Correctional Facility.

“Granting remission to inmates is not merely a reduction of their sentence but an opportunity to open a new chapter in life and return to being a better person in society,” he said in a press release received by ANTARA in Jayapura on Tuesday.

According to Ferdinandus, the granting of remission should be understood as a form of appreciation as well as motivation for inmates to continue maintaining discipline, improving themselves, participating in rehabilitation programmes, and not repeating criminal offences.

He explained that Law No. 22 of 2022 on Corrections affirms that every inmate has the right to receive guidance, education, services, protection, and integration stages carried out professionally, accountably, and fairly.

“Therefore, the correctional process is not only oriented towards serving a sentence but also preparing inmates to be able to return and adapt well in society,” he said.

He added that the granting of remission is a form of state recognition for prisoners who are deemed to have met the requirements and demonstrated good behaviour and active participation in rehabilitation programmes during their sentence.

He said that as of 17 August 2026, the number of inmates at the Class IIB Merauke Correctional Facility was 564 people, comprising 486 prisoners and 78 detainees.

“Of that number, 418 people received general remission and sentence reductions on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia,” he said.