The Assassin of Munir Enjoys Impunity

Today, the last hearing of Munir's trial, many supporters from both sides came to the South Court to see how the judge to respond for the human rights' uphold 2008. All people in Indonesia have expectation that law and human rights will have better achievement. The indicator is coming from the result of the hearing today.

Unfortunately, the reality is different. The judge today has released Muchdi PR as defendant of Munir's assassination in 2004. "The defendant is not legally nor certainly proven to have been involved in the killing of Munir," Presiding Judge Suharto said. The panel of judges argued that the state prosecutor had failed to substantiate its primary and secondary allegations that the retired military general had solicited and assisted convicted murderer Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto in the murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib.

It is clear that to prosecute the public official as person who committed crimes is really difficult in our judicial system. In fact, the circumstances surrounded him as former of high public official are still in power to influence during the process of session. Some of witnesses coming from intelligent body denied for factual evidences which they had declared in front of the police before the session began. When the session came, they rejected and changed to be a good one for the defendant. In addition, the condition was strengthened with the weakness of our judicial system including the Indonesian apparatus that enjoys for several decades to be in the culture of corruption. So, the quality of our judicial system is true to be asked. No witness protection is as the one of indicators which the witnesses are really easy to be influenced, to intervene and deny what they know.

Next, we will see for the case of Munir's assassination in the court of cassation. What will happen?

Jakarta, 31 December 2008

KONTRAS (The Commission for the "disappeared" and victims of violence)

The Commission for Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS)
Jl. Borobudur No. 14 Menteng Jakarta Pusat 10320
Indonesia phone : 62-21-3926983 fax : 62-21-3926821 email: kontras_98@kontras.org website : www.kontras.org
mailinglist: info_kontras@yahoogroups.co.uk

see also - Human Rights First/Human Rights Watch: Indonesia: Accountability Needed for Murder of Rights Defender

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