Mahfud MD: Attorney General Forms Team To Investigate Serious Human Rights Violations In Paniai, 22 Senior Prosecutors Involved

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD (Photo: Documentation of Public Relations of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD, said Attorney General ST Burhanuddin had formed a team to handle cases of gross human rights violations in Paniai, Papua.

This formation was in accordance with the request of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) during a speech in commemoration of World Human Rights Day. At that time, the former governor of Jakarta also asked Burhanuddin to conduct a general investigation into the alleged human rights violations that occurred on December 7, 2014.

"The Attorney General has formed a team of senior prosecutors (consisting of, ed) as many as 22 senior prosecutors," Mahfud said in his video statement to reporters, Friday, December 17.

Furthermore, Mahfud explained that currently there are 13 cases of gross human rights violations that must be resolved according to the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM). In detail, 9 occurred before 2000 and 4 occurred after 2000 including the Paniai incident.

"This is a recommendation from Komnas HAM," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK). On that occasion, Mahfud also explained that no other party may decide an event as a gross violation of human rights except Komnas HAM. This is conveyed because it is often mixed up by the community.

"People sometimes mix up the duties of Komnas HAM with those of the Criminal Investigation Department and the Attorney General's Office. If gross human rights violations can only be declared by Komnas HAM," he said.

"For example, if there is a criminal act that is punishable by a sentence of five years in prison, it is considered a serious crime. But if it is a gross violation of human rights it is genocide and a crime against humanity and it is only determined by Komnas HAM," concluded Mahfud.