Gov’t to Aggravate Punishment for Child Sexual Offender

Attorney General delivers a press statement after a Plenary Cabinet Meeting at the State Palace, Jakarta (10/5)

In light of cases of child sexual abuse that have been on the rise lately, which President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo considers as an extraordinary crime, the Government has prepared a number of measures to address the issue.

Attorney General Prasetyo said that the Attorney General Office would evaluate all prevailing laws and regulations that will make ways to more effectively address the problem.

“So far, the people have applied several articles relating to Law No. 35 of 2012 on Child Protection that has a maximum prison sentence of ten years. We will link it to other laws because we have positive law, namely the Criminal Code. The convict will not only be charged with the Law on Child Protection but also with the Criminal Code,” Prasetyo said in a press conference after a Plenary Cabinet Meeting, at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday (10/5) afternoon.

According to Prasetyo, in the Criminal Code, rape and sexual assaults will be charged with more severe punishment. Moreover, the sentence in the rape of child with murder to remove any trace, do not only charged with sexual assaults case but also murder case. Thus, the convict can be charged with cumulative accusation.

“Therefore, we hope the law can be enforced more effectively and punishment shall be imposed at maximum,” Prasetyo said. Prasetyo went on to say that a Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) is being compiled. The Perppu that has long been actually planned aims to give additional punishment for the convict in child sexual abuse case.

“Previously, there was a plan to castrate the convict. However, we will also propose the judge to announce the decision in the court to the public in order to make sex offenders feel shame in the society,” Prasetyo said.

According to Prasetyo, rather than making a law or revising the previous law that will take long time, Perppu is more suitable. He added that President Jokowi in the Plenary Cabinet Meeting also said that the time is so tight.

“Thus, the Government feels urge to issue a Perppu on Child Protection, particularly on child sexual abuse due to the limited time and because there is no proper punishment for the crime in the prevailing laws,” Prasetyo said, while asking journalists to disseminate this matter to the public, thus what the Government hopes can be well-realized. (FID/DID/ES) (RAS/EP/YM/Naster)