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Govt issues Perppu on sexual violence against children
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Tougher measures -- President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo speaks in a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. President Jokowi on Wednesday signed a the regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on sexual violence against children to better protect Indonesian children from sexual violence. (Courtesy of the Presidential Office/-)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo signed a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on Wednesday on sexual violence against children, the government’s latest measure deemed necessary to better protect Indonesian children from sexual violence and exploitation.
Jokowi said Perppu No.1/2016 amending the 2002 Child Protection Law was a solution for sexual crimes against children in the country, which had increased at an alarming rate. It was hoped the Perppu would be effective in stopping such crimes as it would impose tougher punishments on sex criminals, such as chemical castration for pedophiles and child rapists.
“This regulation stipulates harsher sanctions and additional punishments for sex criminals, with certain requirements," Jokowi said at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The President added that among the harsher sanctions included in the regulation was a minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, and 20 years at maximum, plus additional punishments such as the publication of sex criminals’ identities.
"Chemical castration and the use of electronic tags are also among the tougher measures regulated by the Perppu," he said.
Jokowi considered additional articles in the Perppu would provide room for judges to hand down tougher sentences with deterrent effects to reduce sex crimes, especially against children.
Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said that after the issuance of the Perppu, the government would soon submit it to the House of Representatives for their deliberation.
"We hope the House will agree with the government and can immediately pass the Perppu," he said.
Yasonna further said the additional punishments given to sexual offenders would depend on the judge’s considerations of their crimes.
"There are several additional punishments. They [sex offenders] could be either chemically castrated or given chip implants, or probably both," he went on, adding that the chemical castration would only be carried out on adult sex offenders. (ebf)
