Proven To Have Committed Premeditated Murder, PBHI Says Colonel Priyanto's Life Imprisonment Sentence Is Correct

TNI middle officer Colonel Infantry Priyanto at the High Military Court II, East Jakarta, Thursday 7 June. (ANTARA/Tri MA)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI) considers that the verdict of the Jakarta High Military Court II against Colonel Infantry Priyanto, accused of killing two teenagers in Nagreg, West Java, is correct.

"If you look at justice, the maximum sentence, namely a life sentence, is the most appropriate," said PBHI Chairman Julius Hebrew when contacted in Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, June 7.

However, he continued, that alone was not enough because it was necessary to confirm whether the defendant was still officially active in the TNI or not and received the facilities attached to him.

Although the panel of judges sentenced Colonel Infantry Priyanto to life imprisonment and an additional sentence, namely being dismissed from military service, Julius is still worried that he is still receiving benefits and pensions.

However, in general, PBHI considers that if the sentence is life imprisonment and is dishonorably dismissed without receiving allowances and so on, then the court's decision is very appropriate.

"One thing when he is processed openly, it must be appreciated first," he said.

He said that from the start, PBHI had hoped that Colonel Infantry Priyanto's legal process would be carried out in a civilian court, not a military court. This is because Julius views that the case is completely unrelated to military duties.

PBHI also questioned the plan to place the defendant in a civil prison if the verdict has permanent legal force. Because, from the beginning the person concerned underwent a trial in a military court.

"This is a mistake and must be corrected through the Law on Military Courts. It must all be turned over to civilians," he said.