KPAI: PP Chemical Castration Provides Legal Clarity For Child Sexual Offenders

JAKARTA - Commissioner for the Protection of Indonesian Children (KPAI) for Education, Retno Listyarti, assessed that Government Regulation (PP) 70/2020 signed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) provides clarity or legal certainty for child sexual offenders.

"With this PP, the implementation will be clear," he said as quoted by Antara, Monday, January 4.

Because, he continued, so far there has been a legal vacuum where there have been convictions such as in the Mojokerjo Court, but additional sentences have not been implemented because there has been no derivative from Law Number 17/2016 concerning Stipulation of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 1/2016 on Second Amendment on Law No. 23/2002 on Child Protection.

"So, after the perpetrator carries out his basic sentence, he will be subject to additional punishment," said Retno.

Therefore, KPAI appreciates the policy taken by the government as an effort to protect children from perpetrators of sexual crimes as outlined in PP 70/2020 concerning Procedures for the Implementation of Chemical Castration, Installation of Electronic Detection Devices, Rehabilitation and Announcement of the Identity of Perpetrators of Sexual Violence against Children.

According to him, if the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) refuses to execute, the government must find and train health workers to perform chemical castration.

"Well, this person must be trained because there must be provisions," he said.

Several important points in PP 70/2020 include chemical castration which is carried out for a maximum of two years for criminals who have served a basic sentence.

This can be done after several stages, namely clinical and psychiatric interviews, physical examinations, and supporting examinations.