Indonesia has rejected a United Nations call to abolish the death penalty, which was one of 225 recommendations made by international delegations in the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) held back in May.
Indonesia says it accepts 167 of the 225 recommendations, but argued that the other recommendations, which included calls to abolish the death penalty, address past human rights violations and end prosecutions under blasphemy laws were, “…not in line with the priorities in Indonesia’s human rights agenda.”
Indonesia’s final position of the recommendations was stated during the 36th session of the Human Rights Council last week. During the session, Indonesia reaffirmed its position: “The death penalty is still a prevailing positive law in Indonesia.”
“However, the revision of the penal code had provided a more robust safeguard in due process of law on the death penalty,” Indonesia’s deputy permanent representative to the UN office in Geneva, Michael Tene, said, as quoted by The Jakarta Globe.
A number of the delegations in the session have expressed their regret at Indonesia’s refusal to comply with some of the crucial recommendations.
The United Kingdom highlighted that there is no evidence to suggest the death penalty is a more effective deterrent than alternative forms of punishment. Others, meanwhile, commented on Indonesia’s failure to address discrimination against minority groups in the country, such as the LGBTQ community and religious minorities.
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