UN Special Rapporteur concerned about acquittal of former spy

Detik.com – January 23, 2009
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Margaret Sekaggya (Reuters)
UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Margaret Sekaggya (Reuters)

Indra Subagja, Jakarta – The United Nations will continue to monitor the case involving the murder of human rights activist Munir. UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Margaret Sekaggya has also conveyed her feelings of concern about the acquittal of Munir murder defendant Muchdi Purwoprandjono.

“Ibu Margaret, along with special rapporteurs in other areas will send a communication to the Indonesian government to oversee the process of law enforcement. And, that the acquittal verdict is a form of impunity”, said the wife of the late Munir, Suciwati quoting from Sekaggya’s remarks.

This was conveyed by Suciwati during a press conference at the offices of the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in Jakarta on Friday January 23.

Suciwati, along with activists from the Solidarity Committee for Munir (Kasum) met with Sekaggya in Bangkok, Thailand, on January 19 during a gathering of Asian human rights activists. “The acquittal verdict is one of Ibu Sekaggya’s priorities in accordance with her mandate as the UN Special Rapporteur”, she explained.

Sekaggya, continued Suciwati, also asked that the case be fully resolved because it represents a test for the Indonesian government in how it treats human rights defenders in its country. “Respect for human rights defenders in itself represents an import parameter of how the Indonesian government handles human rights issues”, said Sekaggya, as related by Suciwati.

Sekaggya is also preparing to visit Indonesia at the invitation of the government. “This will be an important meeting to show her commitment to the implementation [of the recommendations] of the previous Special Rapporteur Hina Jilani who also visited Indonesia [in June 2007]”, explained Suciwati.

Kasum coordinator Choirul Anam meanwhile rejected suggestions that Sekaggya’s actions were a form of foreign intervention. “It should be noted that when Indonesia was at UN forums it was also involved in the formation of the Human Rights Commission, and this is a part of the duties of the UN Human Rights Commission”, he explained. (ndr/anw)

[Translated by James Balowski.]