Indonesia's unfair prison system: Australians languish while worse offenders freed
October 31st 2006 21:08
- Monday: Tommy Soeharto waves "I'm well", adding he plans to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca. (BBC pic) -
The generous sentence remissions given to wealthy criminals on national holidays smack of corruption, Jakarta Post reports say, quoting local activist organisations Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) who claim the remissions are being bought and sold.
"Granting remissions is apparently based on how close convicts are with the chief wardens, said Indonesia Corruption Watch coordinator, Emmerson Yanto.
"Well-known convicts have easily obtained remissions not solely because of their good conduct but also because of these relationships." According to Yanto, remissions are allowing prisoners to walk free long before the sentences handed down to them by the courts expire. He questioned whether many high-profile convicts had been properly rehabilitated.
The latest example is "Tommy" Mandala Putra Soeharto, the youngest son of former president Soeharto. He walked free this Monday having served less than half of his 10-year jail term for arranging the murder of an Indonesian Supreme Court justice who had sentenced him to 18 months in jail in a land fraud case. Initially set at 15 years, his murder-related sentence (2002) got reduced on appeal to 10 years. Subsequent remissions each Independence Day and Idul Fitri Day did the rest.
Also in line for early release through Indonesian holiday remissions are:
. Soeharto's step-brother and high-profile graft convict Probosutedjo, doing 10 years (from 2003) for abusing reforestation funds, costing the state nearly US$11 million in losses
. Former Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh who got 10 years jail last year for corruption including appointing a company to purchase a Russian helicopter causing US$1 million in state losses.
Earlier report: Judges' death sentences heartless to Aussies, who have given $ millions to Indonesians
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Comment by Nina
Comment by Big Cat
Chatterpillar
I just hope other Oblers will be attracted to the attempt at balanced news reporting, open-slather to comments.
I think it's something for which the Orble weblog community is better set-up than newspapers.
Comment by Nina
I think that is the real beauty of blogs. Newspapers don't have the level of interaction and debate that can spring forth from a thought-provoking blog entry.