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