Yusril challenges graft convict remission policy

JAKARTA: Yusril Ihza Mahendra, a former law minister who is now a lawyer, has announced plans to file for a judicial review of a recent Law and Human Rights Ministry policy that has temporarily halted the granting of remissions to graft convicts.

Yusril, who represents graft convicts such as former social affairs minister Bachtiar Chamsyah and former Mandiri bank executive director E.C.W. Neloe, said the government regulation on inmate treatment sets out clear provisions for inmates who meet certain criteria to receive remissions.

“I fail to comprehend why the ministry wants to issue a new policy that contradicts another regulation. It doesn’t make sense,” he said on Tuesday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Denny Indrayana recently issued a policy that prohibits all penitentiary facilities from granting freedom to graft convicts. The policy was made following reports and allegations that graft convicts were finding ways to get out of prison early by paying off prison supervisors.

As a result of the new policy, a number of graft convicts who had obtained letters granting their freedom were prohibited from leaving prison.