Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - Law and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin visited the Class-II Denpasar Correctional Institute on Saturday.

The minister is in Bali to accompany President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the latter`s working visit to the paradise island.

During his ten-minute visit, the new law and human rights minister did not allow newsmen to accompany him.

But after getting out of the correctional institute, the minister told newsmen he had just wanted to see the condition of part of the penitentiary.

"The penitentiary is actually overcrowded but I will study the matter further to decide what should be done about it," Amir said.

The Denpasar penitentiary was actually built to accommodate 300 prisoners but in reality it now has 1,000 inmates.

Meanwhile, Denpasar prison chief Siswanto said the new human rights minister did not want newsmen to go into the penitentiary with him.

"The minister himself did not want newsmen to go into the prison with him because he only wanted to see the prison`s visiting room ," Siswanto said.

Siswanto said the minister did not see all parts of the prison because of the limited time he had.
(Uu.O001/HAJM)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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