I question the logic of the Bandung high court judges' ruling that has reduced the punishment of the six convicted drug traffickers. What has really happened?
Jakarta (ANTARA) - A senior member of parliament (MP) questioned the Bandung high court judges' ruling under which six convicted drug traffickers, who had smuggled 402 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine into Indonesia, were freed from capital punishment.

"I question the logic of the Bandung high court judges' ruling that has reduced the punishment of the six convicted drug traffickers. What has really happened?" Andi Rio Idris Padjalangi stated here on Monday.

The six convicted drug traffickers had earlier been awarded death penalty by the Cibadak District Court, but they rejected the verdict and filed an appeal to the high court against it.

Instead of keeping the verdict unaltered, the Bandung high court lightened their punishment.

Hence, Padjalangi, member of the House of Representatives' (DPR's) Commission III Overseeing Law and Human Rights, questioned the logic behind the Bandung high court judges' ruling.

Padjalangi contended that the six convicted drug traffickers belonged to a transnational drug ring that had professionally worked and planned to destroy members of Indonesia's young generation.

Padjalangi also urged the prosecutors to file an appeal against the ruling since discounting the punishment for drug offenders had evidently demonstrated Indonesia's weak law enforcement against them.

Indonesia remains under grave threat from drug dealers, as several individuals from its working-age population have become trapped in a vicious circle.

The National Narcotics Agency's (BNN's) report of some 50 Indonesians dying of drug use daily has failed to deter drug users in the country from consuming these banned substances.

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The users of crystal methamphetamine, narcotics, marijuana, and other types of addictive drugs come from different communities and socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Citing the result of a survey by the BNN and Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Vice President Ma'ruf Amin noted that Indonesia had over 3.4 million drug users.

Drawing reference to the outcome of the survey, some 180 out of every 10 thousand Indonesians, aged between 15 and 64, had got siphoned into drug addiction, he noted.

Hence, marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Monday, Amin drew the collective attention of Indonesians to the ongoing grave threats of drug crimes.

Related news: VP cautions Indonesians against ongoing threats of drug crimes

Related news: Police uncovered 19,229 drug cases in 2021

EDITED BY INE

Translator: Imam B, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021