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'Punishment for rights abusers should be stipulated in terrorism bill'
Residents of Cawas district, Klaten regency, carry the body of Siyono, an alleged terrorist, who died while being interrogated by members of the National Policeâs Densus 88 counterterrorism squad on March 11
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span class="inline inline-center">Residents of Cawas district, Klaten regency, carry the body of Siyono, an alleged terrorist, who died while being interrogated by members of the National Police's Densus 88 counterterrorism squad on March 11. (Antara/Aloysius Jarot Nugroho)
A lawmaker has said that punishment for law enforcers who abuse their power when handling alleged terrorists should be included in the revised terrorism bill that will be debated in the House of Representatives next month.
"We want security forces to have more power to prevent and eradicate terrorism. But we also think that they should be punishable if they abuse their power and, for example, violate human rights principles," said Ahmad Muzani, a member of House's Commission I overseeing defense affairs, on Monday.
The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said on Saturday the National Police's counterterrorism unit, Densus 88, had committed human rights violations in relation to the death of terrorist suspect Siyono in Klaten, Central Java.
Kontras has said that these violations included incomplete arrest documents and torture during the interrogation, and urged the House to add an article to regulate punishment for law enforcers who abuse their power.
House speaker Ade Komarudin agreed that counterterrorism laws must address law enforcers who commit human rights abuses, but said the general public should not launch baseless allegation against the police, who are doing their jobs as sincerely and professionally as possible.
'Don't let [the allegations] discourage security forces from fighting terrorism in the country," he said on Monday.
The House will deliberate the terrorism law amendment during the upcoming April sitting session in a House special committee that will consist of lawmakers from House Commission I and Commission III overseeing legal issues. (vps/bbn)
