25 Years Of Convention Against Torture, Komnas Perempuan Asks The Government To Ratify OPCAT

Illustration of the Komnas Perempuan Building in Jakarta. (doc. Setkab)

JAKARTA - Komnas Perempuan asked the government to immediately ratify the Optional Protocol from the Convention Against Torture, Punishment, and Other Cruel or Non-Human Treatment (OPCAT).

Deputy Chairman of Komnas Perempuan Mariana Amiruddin said the request was called for by his party and a number of institutions that are members of the Cooperation for the Prevention of Torture (KuPP).

"This formalization of the optional protocol will strengthen the national mechanism for preventing torture," he said at a press conference in Jakarta, Monday, June 26, which was confiscated by Antara.

Mariana assessed that this also confirms the state's commitment to fulfilling the constitutional right to be free from torture as a right that cannot be reduced under any circumstances.

His party considered it important to ratify the OPCAT considering that Indonesia since 25 years ago ratified the Convention Against Torture and Treatment or Other Cruel, Non-Humanal, or Lowering Human Dignity through Law Number 5 of 1998.

In an effort to prevent and oppose torture, his party together with five state institutions, namely Komnas HAM, the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), the Ombudsman, and Komnas Disability have established cooperation for the Prevention of Torture (KuPP) since 2016.

KuPP expressed concern and concern for victims of torture and inhumane acts that allegedly continued to occur in this reform era.

"Various direct complaints, findings of KuPP research, and findings of the KuPP Monitoring Team during the vision and mass media reports show that the practice of arbitrary cruel acts including torture and sexual violence is mostly carried out by law enforcement officials or related to them," added Komnas HAM member for Education and Counseling, Putu Elvina.

According to Putu Elvina, KuPP is preparing a report related to the 25 years of the Convention Against Torture and a campaign to stop torture.

KuPP continues to be committed to preventing torture with various activities, such as monitoring prisons/rutan, police offices, Immigration Detention Center (Rudenim), and Safe Houses for refugees, research, development of public awareness, as well as increasing the capacity of government officials, as well as conducting constructive dialogues with various ministries and institutions.