Ex-Convicts Complain To Ombudsman Stepped On, Beaten Using Cow Sex, Kemenkumham DIY Removes 5 Officers' Positions

YOGYAKARTA - The Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) of the Special Region of Yogyakarta has temporarily removed the positions of five officers of the Yogyakarta Class II A Narcotics Prison.

They are indicated to apply excessive discipline to the prisoners in prison (WBP). "We have temporarily removed the five officers to the Regional Office (Kemenkumham DIY)," said Head of the DIY Kemenkumham Regional Office Budi Argap Situngkir when contacted in Yogyakarta, Antara, Friday, November 5.

The position of head of security at the prison, said Budi, was also temporarily removed because he was considered responsible for the officers' actions. "We were removed (temporarily) because the head of security was in charge," he said.

This dismissal was the result of a complaint by former inmates of the Yogyakarta Class II A Narcotics Prison who complained to the Ombudsman Representatives of Yogyakarta and Central Java last Monday regarding the alleged abuse they experienced while in the prison.

Vincentius Titih Gita Arupadatu, one of the ex-convicts of the Yogyakarta Narcotics Prison, admitted that he experienced acts of violence when he was in the prison, starting from being trampled, beaten with a hose, until he was beaten with the genitals of a bull that had been dried. Vincentius and other ex-convicts are also suspected of being sexually assaulted.

Budi said the decision to examine and remove the temporary positions of the five officers referred to the information collected by the Investigation Team of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of DIY at the prison located in Pakem, Sleman Regency.

They are indicated to enforce excessive discipline against the inmates during the environmental introduction period (mapenaling) in the Edelweiss Prison Block.

"After investigating, there were names of these people who put pressure on them. They took action through the SOP because it doesn't have to be for disciplining WBP," said Budi.

However, Budi believes that the excessive actions of the officers did not fall into the category of sadistic behavior, as reported by a number of former WBPs to the Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia (ORI) Representative of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) -Central Java.

"It must be remembered that it is not true until the treatment is very sadistic," he said.

He assessed that the Yogyakarta Narcotics Prison has so far had a good coaching program for WBP because it is clean from the use of mobile phones, drug trafficking, and money transactions.

Previously, the Head of the Correctional Division of the DIY Kemenkumham Regional Office, Gusti Ayu Putu Suwardani, explained that the five people had positions as officers of the Correctional Security Unit (KPLP) and several others as officers of the prison security team.

Regarding the extent of their excessive actions, he could not reveal because the inspection team was still digging for more in-depth information. He ensured that the DIY Kemenkumham Regional Office Investigation Team would work objectively to unravel the case.

"You have to be objective. This is not an ordinary problem. This violates human rights if it happens," said Gusti Ayu.