Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Supreme Court (MA) has called on the House of Representatives (DPR) to prioritize a law on contempt of court in view of recent violence on courts.

"We wish the DPR would prioritize the law. We feel it is scary. The violence occurred because this group of people wished to take the the law into their own hands," chief justice Harifin Andi Tumpa said here on Thursday.

Harifin said the people must be taught that it takes a legal process to secure justice.

"The violence occurred because this group wishes to force its own will. This must be prevented. The people must be made to know that justice is found through a legal process," he said.

The MA chairman made the statement in connection with recent cases of violence at several courts in the country such as the one in Temanggung, recently.

The violence in Temanggung occurred after the judge sentenced to five years in jail defendant Antonius Richmond Bawengan for blssphaming a relgion.

The people who were not satisfied with the sentence later vandalized the court house. They had also burned two churches.

According to the Consortium of National Law Reform (KRHN) at least 30 cases of violence had been recorded happening at court houses in the country from 2005 to 2011.

KRHN chief Firmansyah Arifin said the incidents happened not only in connection with cases that drew public attention but also trivial and private cases.
(H-YH/H-NG/A014)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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