Mary Jane has (been waiting) for 11 yearsJakarta (ANTARA) - The death penalty is the highest form of gender-based torture, discrimination, and violence against women, Chief of the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) Andy Yentriyani has said.
At a press conference that was broadcast live on Komnas Perempuan's YouTube channel on Monday, she contended that the death penalty had a special implication for women and had a certain impact on their life and family.
Based on Komnas Perempuan's study and observation of cases of women facing the death penalty, such a sentence often relates to a host of other issues such as the feminization of poverty, human trafficking, and a legal system that does not side with the victim, Yentriyani noted.
In relation to the legal system, she cited the example of Mary Jane.
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Mary Jane was a Philippines national who was sentenced to death after she was caught carrying 2.6 kilograms of heroin at Adisutjipto International Airport, Yogyakarta, in April 2010, she informed.
Mary Jane eventually turned out to be a victim who was framed by a narcotics syndicate and to this day, it is uncertain whether or not she will be granted remission or be executed, she said.
"Mary Jane has (been waiting) for 11 years," Yentriyani underlined.
This waiting time does not just affect the women facing the death penalty, but their entire family, she added.
In addition to causing mental health problems, the situation could also trigger other bigger social issues, she said.
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Therefore, Komnas Perempuan is advocating and campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty, Yentriyani said.
In this effort, Komnas Perempuan is collaborating with the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), Ombudsman, and Witness and Victim Protection Institution, she added.
Yentriyani said she hopes that through this campaign, Komnas Perempuan can urge the government to revise several policies that serve as the foundation for the death penalty.
Komnas Perempuan held the press conference entitled 'Death Penalty the Highest Gender-Based Violence toward Women: Abolish it for Women's Justice and Recovery!' to raise awareness among the people regarding the impact of the death penalty on women, she added.
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Translator: Putu Savitri, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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