"Sentenced to Death" Indonesian Video Trial... "Unfair and Inhumane"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Soyoung] It has been confirmed that the number of defendants sentenced to death by virtual trials amid the COVID-19 crisis in Indonesia has reached 100 cumulatively. There is strong backlash claiming that online trials infringe on the defendants' right to a fair trial.

According to a report by Amnesty International Indonesia on the 23rd, the number of defendants sentenced to death by the Indonesian judiciary increased by 46%, from 80 in 2019 to 117 last year.

Indonesian court conducting video trials with defendants in prison
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Among the 117 sentenced to death, 101 were drug offenders, and the remaining 16 were charged with murder.

In Indonesia, possession of drugs alone can result in a prison sentence of up to 20 years, and those caught distributing drugs are often sentenced to death.

Amnesty pointed out that since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March last year until this month, about 100 defendants have been sentenced to death through virtual trials without facing judges in person.

This is in accordance with the Indonesian Supreme Court's directive to conduct trials online to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Usman Hamid, Secretary General of Amnesty International Indonesia, criticized, "It is very ironic. At a time when the state should save as many people as possible from the virus, it sentenced more people to death."

He raised his voice, saying, "Sentencing to death through virtual trials weakens the defendants' right to a fair trial. Isn't a death sentence about someone's life and death?"

He added, "The death penalty has always been a cruel punishment. Virtual trials add injustice and inhumanity."

Some have expressed concerns that virtual trials actually disadvantage defendants. This is because unstable internet connections cause trials to be interrupted, preventing defendants from fully participating. Additionally, it has been pointed out that defendants cannot meet with their families and lawyers as actively as before.

Despite these problems with virtual trials, Amnesty expects the trend of increasing death sentences to continue this year.

As of the end of last year, there were 482 death row inmates in Indonesia, and including death sentences issued this year, the number is estimated to be about 500.

Indonesia has not carried out any executions for five years since executing 18 drug offenders, including foreigners, in 2015 and 2016.

Indonesian authorities announced a policy to "resume executions" in the second half of 2019, but no executions have been carried out to date.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.