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Applicant’s Attorney Supriyadi Widodo Eddyono was interviewed by the media after preliminary session of Case No. 7/PUU-XV/2017 on Tuesday (24/1) in Plenary Room, the Constitutional Court Building. Photo PR/Ganie

 

 

 

Insitute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) filed petition reviewing treason provision in the Criminal Code (KUHP). Applicant’s Attorney Erasmus Napitupulu delivered petition points in preliminary session of Case No. 7/PUU-XV/2017, on Tuesday (24/1).

Articles reviewed are Article 87 and Article 104 the Criminal Code.

Article 87 stated, “Treason is occurred when intention of treason is evident from the beginning of its implementation, as referred in Article 53.” (“Dikatakan ada makar untuk melakukan suatu perbuatan, apabila niat untuk itu telah ternyata dari adanya permulaan pelaksanaan, seperti dimaksud dalam pasal 53.”).

Article 104 stated, “Treason intended for killing, depriving independence, or eliminating President’s or Vice President’s power to order, is punished by death penalty or life imprisonment or maximum imprisonment of 20 years,” (“Makar dengan maksud untuk membunuh, atau merampas kemerdekaan, atau meniadakan kemampuan Presiden atau Wakil Presiden memerintah, diancam dengan pidana mati atau pidana penjara seumur hidup atau pidana penjara sementara paling lama dua puluh tahun.”).

Erasmus assessed that the definition of the word ‘treason’ (‘makar’) in the Criminal Code which translated from Dutch word ‘aanslag’ is obscure. 

“’Makar’ (‘treason’) is not a common Indonesian word. The word ‘makar’ is from Arabic, while ‘aanslag’ means ‘attack’. Unclear use of the word ‘aanslag’ which later interpreted as ‘makar’, has obscured fundamental definition of ‘aanslag’,” said Erasmus to Justice Panel led by Constitutional Justice Suhartoyo. 

Erasmus said that the lack of origin word ‘aanslag’ in treason definition is inappropriate, because ‘aanslag’ is act of attack, while ‘makar’ emphasizes on expression or intention of committing treason.

Treason becomes trending topic after the police arrested 12 activists affiliated to 212 mass protest against Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama for his alleged blasphemy against Islam. The police were arrested them under allegation of treason, hate speech and provocation. 

Responding Applicant’s argument, Constitutional Justice Aswanto reviewed Applicant’s legal standing. “Applicant’s legal standing doesn’t show Applicant’s constitutional loss. You file petition on behalf of organization, so you should elaborate on constitutional loss that appear or potential constitutional loss that will likely to appear do to the norms reviewed,” said Aswanto.

Aswanto asked the Applicant to elaborate the petition more in order to make Applicant’s constitutional loss understandable.

Meanwhile, Constitutional Justice Manahan MP Sitompul questioned the meaning of ‘act of attack’ in the petition. “What kind of attack that you mean? Is it armed attack, verbal attack, or mass attack? That is my question, so please explain it in detail,” said him. (Nano Tresna Arfana/lul/Prasetyo Adi N)

 

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