Pigai: RUU HAM Usulkan Komnas HAM Punya Kewenangan Penyidikan

Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai / ANTARA FOTO / Fauzan / kye

JAKARTA - Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai said the draft Human Rights Law (RUU HAM) proposed strengthening the authority of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), including the granting of investigative authority, and hopes that the substance will remain maintained in the discussion in the DPR.

"This is a very progressive law compared to others," said Pigai as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, June 29.

According to him, the Human Rights Bill which has been drafted and released about two months ago is the result of cross-ministerial and inter-agency discussions and involves a number of human rights experts and activists.

Pigai explained that one of the main breakthroughs in the bill was the proposal to give the authority to investigate to Komnas HAM, strengthening the status of the plenary decision so that it is binding, the implementation of the "amicus curiae" mechanism, to the authority to summon forcibly.

Amicus curiae is a "court friend", that is, a third party (individual/organization) who voluntarily provides legal opinions or information to assist judges in deciding cases.

In addition, the Human Rights Bill also includes corruption, environmental, development, and election issues into the human rights perspective.

According to Pigai, the preparation of the bill involved 17 ministries and institutions as well as a number of figures and professionals in the field of law and human rights, including Jimly Asshiddiqie, Makarim Wibisono, Hafid Abbas, Ifdhal Kasim, Roichatul Aswidah, Haris Azhar, Rocky Gerung, Taufan Damanik, and Commissioner of Komnas HAM Amiruddin Al Rahab.

Pigai said the harmonization process for the Human Rights Bill is currently underway before it is submitted to the President to be further submitted to the DPR through a Presidential Letter (Surpres).

"Now it's just harmonization. Later the Minister of Law will convey it to the President, then the President will send a Surpres to the DPR. What I hope is that the articles we have drafted will still be maintained," he said.

He hopes that the DPR will maintain strategic articles in the bill, especially those related to the authority to investigate and strengthen the independence of the National Human Rights Commission.

In addition, Pigai revealed that the Human Rights Bill also proposed that the commissioners of the Komnas HAM in the future should not come from active and retired TNI and Polri elements in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest in the implementation of the agency's duties.

Reporter : Devi Nindy Sari Ramad