The Criticized COVID-19 Vaccination Of Corruption Eradication Commission Prisoners, Juliari Batubara Et Al

KPK Prisoner Juliari Batubara underwent a COVID-19 vaccination (DOK. PR KPK)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is in the spotlight because their prisoners, including former Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara, received the COVID-19 vaccination.

Many parties question the reasons for corrupt suspects/defendants to get vaccines because this injection is more needed by prisoners who are in detention centers with conditions that exceed their capacity.

The KPK held a mass vaccination activity for five days, starting from Thursday 18 February to 23 February, and targeting all parties, including prisoners in detention centers (remand centers).

Criticism also came from various circles. Erasmus Napitupulu, Director of the Indonesia Choice for Justice Reform (ICJR), assessed that the provision of COVID-19 vaccination should be prioritized for officers, detainees, and prisoners in overcapacity detention centers or prisons.

"Vaccination should be given priority to officers, detainees, and prisoners in overcrowding detention centers and prisons", Erasmus was quoted as saying in his written statement, Friday, February 26.

According to him, conditions of overcapacity detention centers and prisons should be a problem that the government is concerned about within the midst of a pandemic. Because, of course, residents and officers will not be able to apply health protocols.

This is also corroborated by ICJR's data. Erasmus said that up to January 18 there had been 1.855 COVID-19 infections in 46 Correctional Unit of detention centers throughout Indonesia, consisting of 1.590 prisoners, 122 prison/prison officers, 143 people who were not known to be prisoners or officers infected with COVID 19.

From this data, it is also known that 4 assisted residents have died due to COVID-19.

Erasmus said that the vaccination policy for prisoners and detention centers in Indonesia has actually been regulated by the government through the Director-General of Corrections (PAS) who issued a Decree (SK) PAS-UM.01.01-01 concerning Preparations for Implementing COVID-19 Vaccines at WBS at Regional Offices (Kanwil ) Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia.

However, in the letter, the Director-General of PAS only instructs the Head of the Corrections Division to coordinate with the Head of the Provincial Health Office regarding the need and plans for providing COVID-19 Vaccines for Officers in Corrections.

"The rest are still in the coordination and socialization stages which have not touched the core of the problem. From this policy, it can be seen that the plan to provide the COVID-19 vaccine for officers and prisoners in detention centers and prisons is unclear", he said.

With this condition, the ICJR urged the government to prioritize prison officials and community institutions, as well as detainees. "Ignorance will lead to human rights violations, especially in conditions of overcrowding and transmission in very dangerous detention centers and prisons", said Erasmus.

"The distinction between KPK detainees is also a discriminatory act by the government", he added.

The urgency of giving to Juliari and KPK detainees was also questioned by the former Commissioner of the Indonesian Ombudsman, Adrianus Meliala. Moreover, currently, the vaccination stage which is a priority for the government has not yet been completed.

"It is not an exaggeration to ask the question of what is the urgency of prioritizing these detainees? Although it is not very relevant, the fact that the detainees are high-ranking officials or wealthy businessmen and have abused their positions can make the public more sensitive", said Adrianus in his written statement.

If the reason for giving this vaccine is so that KPK prisoners do not catch COVID-19, then tens of thousands of detainees from the police, prosecutors, and courts in thousands of locations throughout Indonesia must also receive the same vaccine. This is because they also have the same legal status as the corruption suspects detained at the KPK detention center.

In addition, he also assessed that it is far more important to vaccinate the 250 thousand convicts in overcapacity prisons. The reason is, if someone is infected with COVID-19, the cluster of transmission can occur on a large scale.

Therefore, the act of giving vaccines to KPK prisoners is considered to have made the impression that the government is indeed paying more attention to high-class lawbreakers such as corruptors. Whereas people who obey the law, the general public are now patiently waiting for their turn to be vaccinated.

"The act of vaccinating KPK prisoners gives the impression that it is far more important to pay attention to the elite class of lawbreakers than to prioritize tens of millions of law-abiding people, who are now patiently waiting for the vaccine queue", he said.

They got vaccinated because they are considered vulnerable groups

KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri answered these various criticisms. His institution has indeed decided that prisoners receive vaccines because they are in the vulnerable group of contracting and transmitting vaccines.

Prisoners, he continued, are included in the vulnerable group because they often have contact with various parties, from prison officials, investigators, prisoners' families, legal attorneys, and other related parties. So, to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19 for corruption detainees at the KPK detention center, vaccinations need to be carried out immediately.

Moreover, until now the transmission of this virus in detention is so high. There are 20 people or 31 percent of the 64 prisoners who have contracted COVID-19.

"And there are even employees who died", said Firli in his written statement.

Reflecting on this data, vaccination in the KPK environment is carried out as a whole starting from canteen officers, cleaners, journalists, detainees, and all employees including the leadership and supervisory board.

"The KPK views it as important to vaccinate prisoners because of their activities and interactions with KPK employees and other parties. This is also to provide protection to these parties", he said.

Firli also said the health of prisoners was also important. This is to support the ongoing process of handling and trial of cases.

"Health is the right of every human being, as is the case for a prisoner. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the state is responsible through the vaccination program", he said.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 Task Force said that giving vaccinations to KPK prisoners in remand centers has certainly gone through various considerations.

"The implementation of vaccines at the KPK is given to people who work and are in the KPK environment. This determination has been through data-based considerations", said COVID-19 Task Force spokesperson Wiku Adisasmito in a press conference broadcast on a Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel.

Wiku explained that the COVID-19 Task Force has recorded that there are currently around 100 positive cases originating from the KPK cluster. To ensure the health of all parties in the institution's environment, it was decided to receive vaccines.

"(Giving, red) vaccination uses precise considerations, and upholds aspects of justice", he said.

Wiku also reminded all priority groups to exercise their rights responsibly. "We appeal to priority recipients to exercise their rights responsibly in accordance with medical considerations and other aspects", he concluded.