Witness and Victim Protection Bill Expands Protection Subjects, Not Limited to Witnesses and Victims

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Draft Law on the Second Amendment to Law No. 13 of 2006 on Witness and Victim Protection expands the scope of parties receiving protection, so it is no longer limited to witnesses and victims.

Chair of the Working Committee (Panja) for the Witness and Victim Protection Bill, who is also Deputy Chair of Commission XIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Dewi Asmara, stated that the protection subjects in the bill have been expanded to include cooperating perpetrator witnesses (justice collaborators), reporters, informants, and experts.

“The expansion of protection for subjects in criminal justice processes is not only for witnesses and/or victims, but also for perpetrator witnesses, reporters, informants, and experts who have previously faced threats,” said Dewi during a working meeting in Jakarta on Monday.

According to her, this bill introduces a fundamental change from the concept of “reactive protection” to “proactive protection” to affirm the state’s role in providing protection.

“This expansion demonstrates a response to the dynamics of risks in criminal justice processes,” said Dewi.

She added that the Witness and Victim Protection Bill provides an urgent response to various weaknesses in Law No. 13 of 2006, which has so far been unable to accommodate the dynamics of threats.

In addition, this bill regulates the strengthening of the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), one of which is by changing its status to a state institution, which was not explicitly regulated in the previous law.

The Commission XIII working meeting of the DPR RI on Monday approved bringing the Witness and Victim Protection Bill to the plenary session.

The approval was taken after eight political party factions in Commission XIII of the DPR RI expressed their views.

All factions stated their agreement for the Witness and Victim Protection Bill to proceed to level two discussions for decision-making in the plenary session.