Coordinating Minister Yusril Review Requests For The Repatriation Of Prisoners To The Netherlands

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction Yusril Ihza Mahendra admitted that his party was investigating the request for the repatriation of prisoners to the Netherlands by his government.

"There are several requests from the Dutch government and we have explored that if possible, we will do it, otherwise no," said Yusril as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 21.

Not only the Netherlands, he said there was also a request for the transfer of prisoners from several other countries, such as Bulgaria.

However, the transfer has not been carried out, he continued, the inmate has already died in Indonesia.

Yusril explained that prisoners who are asked to return to their home countries are usually those who are sick, elderly, or have been serving a sentence in Indonesia for a long time.

For this reason, if the prisoner has only served a sentence in Indonesia for 5 years or 10 years, he said, the Indonesian government will not grant its request for repatriation to the country of origin.

"But if it is over 20 years we will consider it or below it but in a sick condition, for example, such as prisoners from a French country who are indeed sick and we return it because otherwise it will be the responsibility of the Indonesian government to take care of it," he said.

Previously, the governments of Indonesia and the Netherlands discussed in-depth the issue of the transfer of Dutch prisoners who served sentences in Indonesia during a meeting in Jakarta, Wednesday (19/3).

Yusril said that his party noted that until now there are five Dutch citizens who are serving sentences in Indonesia.

"Two of them are drug cases and three are with different cases, and there are two detainees at the Immigration Detention Center because of administrative problems," said Yusril.

Yusril stated that the Indonesian government is open to establishing legal cooperation with the Dutch government in terms of transferring prisoners, while still considering the principles of justice and national security.

He said that if cooperation occurs, the Dutch must respect the results of the trial decisions held in Indonesia.

Thus, prisoners who have been transferred must still serve the rest of their sentences in accordance with the court's decision in Indonesia.