Tangerang Prison Fire Case That Killed 49 Inmates Reported To The United Nations

Tangerang prison fire (Photo: Instagram @yasonna.laoly)

TANGERANG - The Community Legal Aid Institute (LBH) and Jakarta LBH attended the trial of the Class 1 Tangerang Penitentiary Fire case at the Tangerang District Court (PN), Tuesday, April 19.

The aim is to submit reports of alleged human rights violations in the Tangerang prison fire case that killed 49 prisoners inmates (WBP) on September 8, 2021.

Public Lawyer LBH Masyarakat Randy Sinaga explained that the report had been submitted by the UN special rapporteur on torture on April 12, 2022.

"We have sent a copy of the report to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, which essentially explains the alleged human rights violations. The report was addressed directly to the UN," said Randy at the Tangerang District Court, Monday, April 19.

Meanwhile, Fadil Al Fathan as LBH Jakarta also conveyed that the problem of excess capacity in prisons was considered inhumane.

Moreover, regarding the Tangerang prison fire trial, he said there was a precedent that occurred regarding state negligence.

"There are bad precedents, for example the fire case at the Attorney General's Office, the shooting of Km50, there was an attempt to cut the supervisory responsibility from superiors to subordinates which could later become decisions similar to the previous ones," he said.

"Even though we see that this is more structural and systemic, there are more fundamental problems than just the negligence of the four prison officers who were accused," he continued.

Fadil admitted that he was ready to guard the case by making advocacy efforts. Including regarding the rights that should be obtained by the families of fire victims.

It is known that the Tangerang prison fire trial will continue on Tuesday, April 19 with an expert witness agenda. Four defendants were present at the trial, namely Suparto, Rusmanto, and Yoga Wido Nugroho who were charged with Article 359 of the Criminal Code, and Panahatan Butar Butar who was charged with Article 188 of the Criminal Code.