Jakarta – An NGO has asked the government to call off its plan to execute five people by the end of this year. The government has also been asked to impose a moratorium on the implementation of the death penalty.

"The government must immediately halt plans to carry out executions. Given President Joko Widodo's campaign commitments to improve respect for human rights, resorting to the death penalty would be a serious stain on the early human rights record of his administration," said Rupert Abbott, Amnesty International's research director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, in a press statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

He said it was proven that the death penalty did not work as deterrent to committing crimes, as has been widely perceived.

Previously, junior attorney general for general crimes Basyuni Masyarif confirmed that the government was planning to execute five people before the end of the year.

According to reports, one of the five individuals facing imminent execution is being detained in Tangerang, Banten, while another two are being held in Batam, Riau Islands, and a further two at Nusakambangan maximum security prison in Cilacap, Central Java.

The two detained at Nusakambangan have reportedly been convicted of murder and the remaining three of drug-related crimes.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/12/06/ngo-asks-govt-cancel-executions-five-people.html