Amnesty International Defies Death Penalty for Corruption Convict

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Amnesty International Indonesia affirms that they are against the idea of handing death penalty to the repeat offender of corruption, Kudus Regent M. Tamzil.

The corruption eradication commission (KPK) previously talked about the possibility of charging Tamzil with the death penalty as the regent has been arrested twice for committing graft.

“We strongly reject any form of death penalties in any type of cases,” said Amnesty Internasional Indonesia Director Usman Hamid as Tempo reached him on Monday, July 29.

The death penalty, he says, is a cruel punishment, inhumane, demeaning, and clearly violates the basic human right to live, which he said the state is obliged to provide for its citizens.

Although against the death penalty, Usman asserts his organization continues to support severe punishments to be enforced upon those proven guilty of corruption.

“What we are against is the use of the death penalty, whatever the crime may be,” said Usman.

Back in 2004, M. Tamzil was also involved in a graft case on education funds allocated for the district and was found guilty in February 2015 punished to 22 months in prison.

Tamzil was named a suspect once again by the KPK for a graft case within the Kudus administration and allegedly received a bribe in the millions from multiple sources.

ANDITA RAHMA | M. ROSSENO AJI