The Houses of Representatives (DPR) wants to ease the requirement for the granting of parole to prisoners involved in extraordinary crimes including corruption terrorism, crimes against national security, and narcotics and illegal drug trafficking. The intention can weaken the anti-corruption movement.
In the past, the government said it would not give remission or reduce the sentences of perpetrators of extraordinary crimes. However, in reality, the convicts involved in extraordinary crimes are still able to get remission.
The House’s intention to ease the requirements for assimilation and parole for convicts involved in extraordinary crimes can be seen from the list of problems (DIM) made by House members when discussing the Draft Bill on Corrections.
This bill will replace Law Number 12 of 1995 concerning Corrections. The House members have asked to remove a recommendation from law enforcers as the requirement to grant assimilation or parole.
According to the House’s Commission III, which is in charge of the law, a recommendation is no longer needed because law enforcement institutions such as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the National Narcotics Agency (BNN), the police, the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) and the prosecutor\'s office have been actively involved during the investigation and decision of the criminal case.
Assimilation or parole is decided by the Justice and Human Rights (HAM) Minister based on the proposal from the Director General of Corrections (Kompas, 10/8/2019). The Penitentiary Act does not regulate the requirement in the granting of assimilation or parole.
Such a requirement, which is now in effect, is regulated in Government Regulation Number 99 of 2012 concerning the Requirements and Procedures for the Implementation of the Rights of Prisoners. The regulation’s preamble says acts of terrorism, narcotics, psychotropic, corruption, crimes against national security, gross human rights crimes and organized transnational crimes are extraordinary crimes.
Such crimes cause heavy losses to the state or the community. The procedures in granting of remission, assimilation, and parole for the perpetrators of extraordinary crimes should instead be tightened to ensure justice.
A recommendation from law enforcement institutions in the granting of assimilation, remission, or parole is needed so that there is integrity in the handling of extraordinary crimes in this country. The impact of extraordinary crime is indeed extraordinary.
National disaster victims can be even more miserable when their aid given to them is corrupted. The number of drug users in this country continue to increase because their traffickers are still able to commit crimes while in prison.
Terrorism is rife. The House and the government should ensure justice. In fact, the requirement for granting assimilation, remission, or parole for extraordinary offenders should be tightened. Moreover, many convicts of corruption, terrorism, or recurrent drug trafficking have repeated the crimes. This proves that there is no deterrent effect.