President Denies Claim of Delaying Death Penalty due to Pressure
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Minggu, 19 April 2015 08:06 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Jokowi has denied claims that the postponement of the planned execution of death row inmates was done due to external pressures from the international community - particularly, the death convicts' country of origin. "It is not because I am not brave enough to execute these convicts - but their are due processes that needs to be observed," said President Jokowi during an event at Al-Akbar Mosque in Surabaya, on Friday, April 17, 2015.
Jokowi said that there are several reasons that necessitated the government to delay the execution of the 11 inmates waiting on death row. "There are legal processes that needs to be thoroughly observed before we can execute these inmates," said the President.
Jokowi said that the authority to issue the order to proceed with the execution lies with the Attorney General's Office (AGO). "I have no further authority in the matter, as I have already issued rejections to the inmates pleas for clemency," he said.
The AGO had previously confirmed that the execution of 11 inmates facing the death penalty will be postponed until further notice, because there are several issues in Nusakambangan Correctional Facility that needs to be addressed, as well as the fact that there are several inmates which have chosen to take further legal action against the government's decision to impose the death penalty on them.
EDWIN FAJERIAL