Letter: Death penalty: To be or not to be

The execution of Indonesian domestic worker, Ruyati, in Saudi Arabia, was indeed a tragedy. But it cannot be the basis of the abolition of the death penalty. The need for the death penalty in legal system is not only for its functionality in deterring crimes, but also in its worth as a measure of protecting innocent lives.

The death penalty is stigmatized as a merciless and barbaric punishment. Many believe that prolonged or life imprisonment has the exact deterrent effect in preventing crimes. From a religious point of view, life is God-given and it is God’s right to take it back. By that reasoning, the death penalty is unfit for a civilized legal system and should be abolished. Unfortunately, such logic could only be implemented in an ideal, fantasy world and not in the real world.

Killing, by nature is a horrible deed. Taking another person’s life is an act against nature itself — thus, wantonly murdering others is forbidden. The law therefore makes sure that only innocents are preserved and the guilty are charged for their crimes.

The death penalty was designed so that the action of killing a criminal is ruled by law and through comprehensive and careful examination in legal proceedings. It is a last resort, when a convict is sentenced to death, if he truly deserved such extremity. No life should be taken indiscriminately and no punishments passed should be too extreme.

The death penalty, while serving to deter crimes with the most extreme sentence, maintains its main purpose in protecting the people with extreme measures. Even in civilized nations, we cannot help but be aware that there are evils that are so fearless, remorseless and twisted that could not be undone or changed with civilized methods, such as the al-Qaeda and other extreme fundamentalists. These “people” are so blinded by their beliefs, that we couldn’t help but wonder what drives these “men” to commit such atrocities without any regret. Keeping these criminals in mental institutions will not change their mind-sets, and, imprisoning them won’t stop them in harming people in the future. Is the only option for them the death penalty?

The death penalty is undeniable a “morally grey” matter in our lives. While serving in protecting the lives of many, it takes the lives of others. But it is the ultimate route that must be taken after all alternatives have been exhausted in deterring transgression in order to defend the greater good. About Ruyati, the unfortunate domestic worker, she is not innocent as well, for she spilled the blood of her employer’s wife. Even though her employers played little part in driving her to commit murder, she was judged according to the nation’s laws and regulations.

The only thing to be regretted from such tragedy is that there is no legal means for Indonesian laborers that are working abroad to defend themselves from abuse and bullies. Even worse, the government is incapable of providing legal means to assist its own citizens. The tragic death of Ruyati must be the lesson for us to improve the condition of our Indonesian laborers that are working abroad; not to use it as a foundation to blame on the system of justice or the death penalty. As long as evil cannot be deterred in a civilized manner, the death penalty will always exist and be implemented in judicial systems.

Nicholas Penn
Jakarta