National Human Rights Commission Calls The Death Penalty Ineffective In Eradicating Corruption

Head of Komnas HAM Ahmad Taufan Damanik/DOK ANTARA

JAKARTA - Head of National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) Ahmad Taufan Damanik said that the death penalty has not been proven effective when applied in Indonesia in eradicating corruption.

The death penalty is said to violate the principles of human rights (HAM). Therefore, for Komnas HAM, the death penalty should not be applied.

“From a human rights perspective, the death penalty should be abolished. So the global movement is the movement to abolish the death penalty. Indonesia is one of the countries that have been pushed to abolish the death penalty, because it is not in accordance with human rights principles and standards," said Taufan in a written statement, Friday, December 10.

Taufan said that the death penalty is considered not to have a deterrent effect in law enforcement in Indonesia.

"For example, the death penalty imposed on corruption is not proven in any country in the world that it is effective in reducing corrupt practices," said Taufan.

Taufan gave an example of countries in Europe, such as Scandinavia, with very low levels of corruption. This is not because of the threat or application of the death penalty but good legal practice.

In fact, Scandinavian countries have long abolished the practice of the death penalty. The level of corruption is actually so low because the state financial system run by the government is good in terms of supervision. Even, on the contrary, Taufan actually sees countries that still insist on implementing the death penalty in law enforcement, the level of corruption is still high.

"It is also related to terrorism and drugs. Indonesia has implemented a number of executions of the death penalty for drug offenders, for example, but in fact the users have not been passed down," said Taufan.

With that example, Taufan said there was no relationship between the application of the death penalty and effective measures to reduce extraordinary crimes such as corruption, drugs, and terrorism.

"It is not proven, even for terrorism cases, they are happy with the death penalty. Because they want jihad and want to go to heaven immediately (according to their belief, ed). So with the death penalty, they are happy. This is according to people at National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), and Densus 88, yes," he said.

As for the defendant in the corruption case, Asabri Heru Hidayat, who is being charged with death, Taufan suggested that the prosecutor no longer need to apply for the death penalty.

Taufan sees such law enforcement as only a public image. In fact, the public continued, knowing that the articles of prosecution used by the prosecutor were not those that applied the death penalty.

"Actually, the Jokowi government has not explicitly implemented it, because the last few years have done it, a moratorium (postponement) of the death penalty. Strangely, why was the death penalty proposed again," he explained.