How The Ministry Of Law And Human Rights Monitored The Movement Of Prisoners Released During The COVID-19 Pandemic

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JAKARTA - The Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) released tens of thousands of prisoners and children related to efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Correctional Institutions (Lapas).

After being released, the prisoners and children will be supervised and guided by the Correctional Center (BAPAS). The goal is to make sure they are not involved in criminal offenses.

Head of the Public Relations and Protocol Section of the Directorate General of PAS, Rika Aprianti, said that monitoring and guidance will be through an online system. Because, the current condition is in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Supervision and guidance by the Correctional Center using an online system such as videoconferencing or the like," Rika told VOI, Thursday, April 2.

Supervision and coaching will be carried out periodically for a predetermined time. Then, the officers will record and report all their progress.

Based on existing data, it was recorded that since Tuesday, March 31, around 18,062 prisoners and children have been released through assimilation and integration.

"Supervision and guidance will be carried out every week or month until the completion of the guidance period," said Rika.

In addition, Karo Penmas Div of Public Relations of the Police, Brigadier General Argo Yuwono, welcomed the steps taken by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. According to him, his party will be ready to provide assistance to monitor the movements of ex-convicts who have been released.

"Of course we will help but for the technicalities, wait from Kemenkumham," said Argo.

Previously, Kemenkumham would release some prisoners and children to prevent the spread of the corona virus or COVID-19. The release of some of the prisoners will go through assimilation and parole.

This is in accordance with the decree number M.HH -19.PK.01.04.04. The year 2020, which contains the release and release of prisoners and children through assimilation and integration, is an effort to prevent and rescue prisoners and children who are in Corrections, Special Guidance Institutions for Children, and State Detention Centers from the spread of Covid-19.

However, there are several provisions or other rules for prisoners and children who will be released through assimilation. First, for inmates who have two-thirds of their sentence falls on December 31, 2020 and then for children who have half the sentence falls on December 31, 2020.

The second requirement, namely, that the prisoner and child are not bound by Government Regulation Number 99 of 2012 concerning Terms and Procedures for the Implementation of the Rights of Correctional Assistance and are not undergoing a subsidiary, and are not foreign citizens.

Meanwhile, the provisions for prisoners and children who are released by means of integration, namely parole, parole and leave prior to freedom are prisoners who have served two-thirds of their sentence. Meanwhile, children are those who have served half of their sentence.