Head of the Aceh Regional Office of the Law and Human Rights Ministry, Meurah Budiman, said that the construction of the correctional facility is aimed at alleviating the burden on prisons in Aceh, which are currently overcrowded.
"The construction of the new building for the Class IIA Lhokseumawe correctional facility will have the capacity to house 800 prisoners. This new building is being built because the current condition (in prisons) exceeds the capacity, capped at 325 percent," he added.
Budiman said that the Law and Human Rights Ministry is prioritizing the construction of the correctional facility to provide the best service to inmates as well as address the overcrowding issue, which is occurring in almost all prisons and detention centers.
The new correctional facility will be built in two stages. In 2022, 40 percent of the construction will be completed, and the remaining 60 percent will be resumed in 2023. The facility is located in a former prison that was built in 1996, which was activated due to the Aceh conflict, he informed.
"This new two-story prison is targeted for completion by the end of 2023, and will be able to be utilized in 2024. If possible, before the simultaneous regional elections, it can be used," he informed.
He said he expected the construction process to run smoothly and finish on time. The construction of the new building is not only the responsibility of the Law and Human Rights Ministry, but also everyone else's.
"We will compel the public to pursue the construction process. Later, the Lhokseumawe prison building will be turned into a state detention house," he added.
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Translator: M Haris S A, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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