In 6 Months, Banda Aceh High Court Strengthens Death Penalty For 17 Defendants In Drug Cases

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BANDA ACEH - The Banda Aceh High Court (PT) has handed down and strengthened the death penalty for 17 drug-related defendants during the first semester (January-June) 2022.

"In the last six months, PT Banda Aceh has sentenced to death and strengthened the death sentences for 17 defendants in a special criminal case (pidsus) for drugs," said Public Relations of PT Banda Aceh, Dr Taqwaddin, in Banda Aceh as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, July 14.

Taqwaddin said that of the 17 cases that went to the appellate court level, the majority came from the Jantho District Court, Aceh Besar Regency, which reached eight cases.

Then, said Taqwaddin again, the cases from the Banda Aceh District Court and East Aceh District Court were three cases each, then from the Meulaboh District Court, West Aceh two cases.

Taqwaddin said that not all cases at the PN level were sentenced to death. But there are three cases with a sentence of life imprisonment. However, the prosecutor appealed.

After the case files and the PN decision were examined and heard by the PT Banda Aceh panel of judges, the decision of the first instance high court was then rejected or annulled.

According to Taqwaddin, the judge of PT Banda Aceh actually sentenced the defendant to a higher sentence, namely the death penalty.

"There were two sentences sentenced to life imprisonment in the Idi Aceh Timur District Court and two at the Jantho Aceh Besar District Court," he said.

In addition, said Taqwaddin, there were also two defendants from the Jantho District Court who were sentenced to 20 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 5 billion. However, on appeal PT Banda Aceh sentenced him to death.

"The rest are drug cases in which the defendant has been sentenced to death by the first instance court (PN), which was then strengthened by the same decision by the panel of judges at the appeals court level (PT Banda Aceh," he also said.

Taqwaddin added, the number of death penalty decisions by PT Banda Aceh against the accused dealers or drug dealers indicates the rampant circulation of drugs in Aceh.

"Even though this is only the first semester, there have been 17 cases where the defendants were sentenced to death, later until December 2022 of course there can be more," said Taqwaddin.