"There has been desire to build special prisons on outlying islands. These will be maximum security prisons for drug lords, terrorists and graft convicts," Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H Laoly said after opening a Convict Jamboree for Humanity at the Merdeka Sport Facility in Garut district, West Java, on Thursday.
The idea to turn the outlying islands into super maximum security prisons came after President Joko Widodo launched a law reform package which contained plans to ease overcrowded prisons and detention facilities.
"We have made efforts to decongest the correctional facilities by redistributing convicts to less-crowded correctional facilities and increase the capacity of certain such facilities. We have received a relatively large amount of additional budget funds this year to build five thousand more units for residents," he informed.
Meanwhile, Director General of Correctional Facilities I Wayan K Dusak reiterated that his office will build super maximum security prisons in Nusakambangan island off Central Javas southern coast.
"We are currently building a maximum security prison in Nusakambangan with a capacity to accommodate 500 convicts. The prisons will accommodate convicts categorized as high risk, and will serve the longest jail terms," he stressed.
In the long run, a high risk block will be set up at each correctional facility.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
