Jokowis top prosecutor choice slammed

Hasyim Widhiarto and Yuliasri Perdana

The Jakarta Post

Publication Date : 21-11-2014

Critics have excoriated President Joko Jokowi Widodo for his decision to name a political appointee as the countrys top prosecutor.

After leaving the position of attorney general vacant for almost a month, Jokowi inaugurated on Thursday NasDem legislator HM Prasetyo, 67, as attorney general in a move viewed by many legal and human-rights activists as a setback for the countrys law-enforcement efforts.

Human rights watchdog the Setara Institute questioned whether Prasetyo had the commitment to eradicating corruption and resolving human-rights violations cases, given his political background. The appointment of Prasetyo as attorney general is a sign that Jokowi is encumbered by political parties, Setara chairman Hendardi said.

Hendardi also said that the resolution of past human-rights abuses would take a back seat under Jokowis administration. This is also an indication that the proposal for a human-rights court will once again be left dormant, Hendardi said.

There are at least seven gross human-rights violations cases that have remained unresolved by the Attorney Generals Office (AGO), according to Setara. The cases include the 1989 Talangsari massacre in Central Lampung and the anti-Chinese riots in May 1998 that led to the downfall of president Soeharto.

Hendardi also warned Jokowi that he would achieve little in terms of law enforcement now that his attorney general and law and human rights minister, were both political appointees. He was referring to Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly, a former Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker.

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Jokowis top prosecutor choice slammed