Minister Ensures Gov’t Paying Scrupulous Attention to Baiq Nuril’s Case

Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna Laoly responds to reporters’ questions after attending a plenary cabinet meeting, at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Monday (8/7). (Photo by: Agung/PR)

Minister of Law and Human Rights Yasonna H. Laoly ensured that the Government pays scrupulous attention to the case of Baiq Nuril, a non-tenure female teacher at SMAN 7 Mataram senior high school, West Nusa Tenggara, who was sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of Rp500 million for recording a lewd phone call between her and her alleged sexual harasser, after her petition for case review was rejected by the Supreme Court (MA).

“We will discuss this matter later in the afternoon. According to the law, she cannot seek a clemency because a prison sentence had to be at least two years long, while in her case it is six months,” Yasonna told reporters after attending a plenary cabinet meeting, at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, Monday (8/7).

According to the Minister, Baiq came to his office with a member of the House of Representatives Rieke Diah Pitaloka to seek solution for her case. The Minister went on to say that amnesty will become one of the options that will be studied by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

In the practice, amnesty can be granted for individual case, but usually for a political offense, he added.

“Regardless, there is no clear boundary, so we will study (amnesty law) in depth today. Later in the evening, I will invite a number of experts to discuss this matter in a Focus Group Discussion,” he explained.

The Minister ensured that his office has been paying special attention to seek solution for this case which will be reported to the President. Therefore, Ministry of Law and Human Rights will discuss the best approach to solve Baiq Nuril’s case with her lawyers and Rieke Diah Pitaloka.

“The most possible option so far is amnesty since the case has attracted public attention. In this case, we have to uphold justice and legal certainty. Thus, it has become our common concerns,” Yasonna concluded. (GUN/AGG/ES)

Translated by : Rany Anjany Subachrum
Edited by : Mia Medyana Bonaedy