Indonesia's new attorney-generals office urged to solve past rights abuses

Ina Parlina

The Jakarta Post

Publication Date : 03-11-2014

Human rights activists on Sunday renewed calls for President Joko Jokowi Widodo to appoint as attorney-general only a candidate who is bold and shows commitment to human rights, saying that it was time for the Attorney-Generals Office (AGO) to focus on solving past human rights abuse cases.

As of Sunday, Jokowi had yet to announce the new attorney-general. Contrary to the tradition of his predecessors, Jokowi kept the post of attorney-general empty when naming the rest of the Cabinet.

Setara Institute chairman Hendardi said that given the offices authority, the attorney-general was the last hope for investigating past human rights abuses.

To solve these past human rights abuse cases is the biggest task for the next attorney-general. Its not all about eradicating corruption, Hendardi said on Sunday.

The 2000 law on human rights trials allows the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) to follow up reports of alleged gross human rights abuses and to conduct a preliminary investigation, but gives the authority to investigate and prosecute those cases to the attorney-general.

The law also stipulates that an ad hoc human rights court can be set up by a recommendation from the House of Representatives and a decree by the president after obtaining investigation results from both Komnas HAM and the attorney-general.

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Indonesia's new attorney-generals office urged to solve past rights abuses