We stress and appeal to people: if you want to adopt or have your child adopted by other families, use the (legal) procedures for child adoptionJakarta (ANTARA) - The National Police Force has appealed to people who intend to adopt kids to use legal or official means to do so.
"We stress and appeal to people: if you want to adopt or have your child adopted by other families, use the (legal) procedures for child adoption," Director of General Crimes at the National Police's Criminal Investigation Agency, Brigadier General Djuhandhani Rahardjo Puro, said at a press conference here on Tuesday.
Adoption has a legal basis, as outlined in Law Number 35 of 2014 about changes to Law Number 23 of 2022 about Child Protection and Government Regulation Number 54 of 2007 about Adopting Children, he pointed out.
These regulations are meant to ensure that children's rights regarding their origins and future can be met, Puro said.
He highlighted the goal of official procedures, which is to prevent the trafficking of children for adoption
The brigadier general cited data from the National Child Protection Agency (KPAI) showing that in 2021, there were 147 victims of child trafficking and exploitation.
The figure was not much different compared to 2020, when the number of victims was recorded at 149, he pointed out.
He further said that the agency also received 1,358 reports involving child protection in January–June 2022. The reports involved 1,444 cases, of which 981 pertained to children's rights and 463 to child protection.
At the press conference, Puro informed that the National Police had raided an apartment in Bekasi, which was suspected of housing children prior to their being sold, and saved two infants from falling victim to trafficking.
"We have successfully saved two baby boys who are about two weeks old (A) and one month old (B)," he informed.
He said that his administration is collaborating with the Social Affairs Ministry to provide proper care to the two baby boys.
Four persons have been arrested in connection with the case—SA (50), E (54), DM (25), and Y (35), he added.
Puro said that the case was pursued after a report on the alleged kidnapping of A was sent to the Central Sulawesi Police Department. An investigation found that A was handed over by his own mother, SS, to another woman, F, and then brought to Jakarta.
The perpetrators sold baby boys for Rp13 million to Rp15 million (US$866 to US$1 thousand) and baby girls for Rp15 million to Rp23 million (US$1 thousand to US$1,533), the brigadier general informed.
He said that the perpetrators have violated Article 6 of Law Number 21 of 2007 about Human Trafficking Eradication, which carries a prison sentence of 3–15 years and a fine of Rp120 million (US$8,001) to Rp600 million (US$40 thousand), he added.
They have also violated Article 83 of Law Number 35 of 2014 about changes to Law Number 23 of 2022 about Child Protection, which invites a sentence of 3 to 15 years, as well as a fine of Rp60 million (US$4 thousand) to up to Rp300 million (Rp20 thousand), he said.
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Translator: Narda Margaretha S, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati
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