NU hails govt for issuing Perppu on sexual violence against children

Lamongan, NU Online
As part of protecting Indonesian children from sexual harassment, the Lamongan chapter of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has hailed the government for issuing a regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) on sexual violence against children.

"As part of Indonesian people paying more attention to eastern cultures and to keep our children safe from dangerous predators, we greatly appreciate the measures taken by the government in cracking down on sexual offenders," deputy chairman of NU Lamongan Ahmad Suyuthi told NU Online here on Thursday (26/5).

According to Mr Suyuthi, cracking down on child rapists and those who have the purpose of committing child prostitution is an good step taken by the President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration.

As reported by The Jakarta Post, President Jokowi said that Perppu No.1/2016 amending the 2002 Child Protection Law was a solution for sexual crimes against children in the country, which had increased at an alarming rate. It was hoped the Perppu would be effective in stopping such crimes as it would impose tougher punishments on sex criminals, such as chemical castration for pedophiles and child rapists.

“This regulation stipulates harsher sanctions and additional punishments for sex criminals, with certain requirements," Jokowi said at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The President added that among the harsher sanctions included in the regulation was a minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, and 20 years at maximum, plus additional punishments such as the publication of sex criminals’ identities.

"Chemical castration and the use of electronic tags are also among the tougher measures regulated by the Perppu," he said.

Jokowi considered additional articles in the Perppu would provide room for judges to hand down tougher sentences with deterrent effects to reduce sex crimes, especially against children.

Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly said that after the issuance of the Perppu, the government would soon submit it to the House of Representatives for their deliberation.

"We hope the House will agree with the government and can immediately pass the Perppu," he said.

Yasonna further said the additional punishments given to sexual offenders would depend on the judge’s considerations of their crimes.

"There are several additional punishments. They [sex offenders] could be either chemically castrated or given chip implants, or probably both," he went on, adding that the chemical castration would only be carried out on adult sex offenders. (Masdar)