Jakarta – The death penalty was still necessary within the Indonesian criminal law system, Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Denny Indrayana said during a discussion held in commemoration of World Day against the Death Penalty on Wednesday.

Denny, however, said the death penalty should not be a main sentence, as stipulated in the Criminal Code, but an alternative one used for repeat offenders, especially for corruptors or drug dealers.

"The death penalty could be the last resort," he said as quoted by tribunnews.com, adding that not all drug and corruption convicts should be sentenced to death.

He also rejected the idea that the death penalty was a solution to eradicating corruption and drug dealing, citing that it was only a temporary solution. (cor/iwa)