Treating suspects inhumanely

Treating suspects inhumanely

From Koran Tempo

Some people tend to take the law into their own hands by
treating alleged criminals barbarically and inhumanely,
indicating the weak law enforcement amid the prevalence of social
problems.

We have often heard of a how a suspect was killed by a mob,
ignoring the presumption of innocence principle, as if committing
murder is normal behavior. They believe that cruel treatment will
discourage hoodlums from committing crimes, but on the contrary,
criminals have become more brutal.

In a constitutional state like Indonesia, people must obey the
law, including showing respect for the presumption of innocence
principle. Pursuant to the 1945 Constitution, all citizens are
equal before the law.

The feeling of disappointment with the weak law enforcement
should not prompt us to take unlawful action in dealing with
criminals. If we are longing for the fulfillment of reform
aspirations on the basis of legal supremacy, we should uphold the
legal values based on fairness and justice.

OKTRYAN MAKTA

Yogyakarta