Manpower Minister Muhaimin Iskandar said here on Thursday he hoped the task force would be established by next week.
The decision came in the wake of the execution of female migrant worker Ruyati in Saudi Arabia recently that had caused an uproar in the country.
Muhaimin said the task force would be put under the oversight of the law and human rights ministry. Its chief would also be appointed by the law and human rights minister and its members would consist of legal experts.
"It will be coordinated by the minister of law and human rights," he said.
Muhaimin gave the assurance the task force would not clash with the National Agency for Protection and Placement of Indonesian Migrant workers (BNP2TKI).
"The task force will handle the cases of Indonesians facing grave accusations. The threat of a death penalty must be dealt with exclusively," he said.
He said the task force`s first assignment would be handling the cases of 22 Indonesian migrant workers now facing the death penalty in Saudi Arabia.
The Indonesian government has already approached the Saudi government to ask for clemency for the workers, he said.
So far the 22 workers including Siti Zaenab whose return had been sought during former president Abdurrahman Wahid`s period have not yet received clemency from the victims` families and therefore are still facing the death penalty.
(T.D013*P008/H-YH/HAJM/A014)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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