Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – Rampant torture in Indonesian prisons could be minimized if the government ratified the Optional Protocol of the United Nations Convention against Torture, several NGOs said.
Under the protocol, the country's prisons would be open to independent external monitoring.
"Transparency at prison centers is a matter of regulation. The ruling can enhance and press Indonesia to ratify the Optional Protocol of the UN Convention against Torture (OPCAT)," said Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy chairwoman Agung Putri on Wednesday.
Addressing the launch of a book on prison monitoring, Putri said the approach of prison center officials in observing inmates throughout the country is failing.
"There is a perception that people with prison sentences have minimal rights. Inside the prison centers, people who are weak tend to become victimized," Putri said, referring to discrimination against women and child inmates.
Child inmates, she said, are often threatened by sexual abuse while transsexuals often become the object of rape.
"With the ratified OPCAT, prison officials could be monitored and jail won't become a 'closed wall'. Any abuse will become an international concern" she said.
Association for the Prevention of Torture Asia-Pacific program officer, Philippe Tremblay, said eradicating prison oppression will not happen overnight as it is also a matter of changing the culture of incarceration.
"The Indonesian government and parliament should start paying serious attention to the OPCAT, which is the most effective way of minimizing torture," he said.
The optional protocol has been ratified by 34 countries and signed by 31 from Africa, Latin America, the Asia Pacific and Eastern and Western Europe. "Signing means that they agree to ratify the optional protocol."
Philippe said the signing of the protocol should be fast-tracked by the Indonesian government to ensure it is dealt with before the 2009 national election.
If OPCAT is signed by Indonesia, a system of regular monitoring would be set up in which an international body would visit prisons in the country once every four or five years.
"The international body should be independent. This could be led by a local commission, such as the National Commission on Human Rights of Indonesia," Philippe added.
Director for monitoring and evaluation at the Justice and Human Rights Ministry, R. Bambang Subagio, said there had been an effort to revise the Criminal Code to see to it that not all persons convicted of crimes were sent to prison.
"In order to further promote the idea of implementing human rights, we have formed national teams in 450 regencies to raise awareness on the subject to local governmental agencies," Bambang added.
"Especially in provinces of East Java, South Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara, where torture or abusive practices are prevalent," he said.