Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia media and campaign manager Nurina Savitri says that there are still many articles with the potential to violate human rights in the latest version of the Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP), which the government has already handed over the House of Representatives (DPR).
"The Indonesian government claims that it is putting together a RKUHP which it also claims will improve the rule of law and also the protection of human rights, but the reality is that if we look at this together friends, in the latest draft of the RKUHP, even the one submitted the other day on November 9, there are still many problematic articles, some of which have the potential to violate human rights", said Savitri during a press conference on Thursday November 10.
Savitri gave as an example the articles on defamation. In addition to this, she also cited the articles on makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) in the RKUHP. She also questioned the government's claim about improving the legal code and the protection of human rights.
"There are also the makar articles which are overlapping, makar against the government, makar against friendly countries. So this actually is a question for us, how can such claims be made, and on what basis", she said.
Savitri also criticized the lack of public participation in drafting the RKUHP. She said that there should have been meaningful participation, not just one-directional socialisation from the government.
"Under international legal instruments, engagement is meaningful participation, meaning listening to civil society's concerns, the example in the RKUHP being our criticism about the process, meaningful participation, our input listened to, not just holding a socialisation, inviting us without giving us an opportunity to discuss it", she said.
Meanwhile Justice and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said he hopes that the RKUHP can be enacted into law at the end of the year. Laoly said that if it is already ratified, the new KUHP will be an original product of the Indonesia nation. (mnf/tsa)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Amnesty Sebut Masih Banyak Pasal Bermasalah di Draf RKUHP Terbaru".]
