CASE N° IDS/09 - SUKATNO - INDONESIA

Resolution adopted without a vote by the Inter-Parliamentary Council at its 160th session
(Seoul, 15 April 1997)

The Inter-Parliamentary Council,

Referring to the outline of the case, as contained in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/160/14(a)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 159th session (September 1996) concerning the case of Mr. Sukatno, of Indonesia,

Taking account of the observations made by the Indonesian delegation at the hearing held on the occasion of the 97th Inter-Parliamentary Conference (April 1997),

Considering that, at its request, the Secretary General carried out a mission to Indonesia from 26 to 29 September 1996 and that the content of his report to the Committee has been incorporated in the Committee's case report (CL/160/14(a)-R.1),

Considering that, on the occasion of his mission, the Secretary General was able to visit Mr. Sukatno in Cipinang Prison and ascertain his conditions of detention and state of health,

Noting with satisfaction that from the information provided by the Secretary General it appears that the general conditions of Mr. Sukatno's detention are satisfactory,

Nevertheless emphasizing its deep concern at the mental and physical afflictions of Mr. Sukatno, which, as the Secretary General was able to observe in the presence of representatives of the Indonesian authorities, are undeniably grave,

Considering that, if released, Mr. Sukatno would certainly not pose the slightest threat to society,

Recalling that Mr. Sukatno has for many years been living under constant threat of execution, which emerged clearly from the Secretary General's visit,

Recalling that it has repeatedly appealed to the President of the Republic that he pardon Mr. Sukatno in view of his advanced age, the nearly three decades he has already spent in prison and his declining health,

Considering that, on the occasion of the hearing held in Seoul, the Indonesian delegation once again affirmed that it had explored all possibilities of obtaining Mr. Sukatno's release and that any decision to pardon Mr. Sukatno lay solely with the President,

Noting also that, according to information provided to the Secretary General on the occasion of his mission by the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights, the latter has never been formally approached by the Indonesian Parliament to act in the case of Mr. Sukatno and that it may be willing to do so if approached formally by Parliament or by the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Considering that the authorities have constantly implied that Mr. Sukatno would on no account be executed,

1. Thanks the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Indonesian authorities for the warm welcome they extended to the Secretary General during his mission to Jakarta, and for the spirit of co-operation they displayed throughout his visit;
2. Expresses its gratitude in particular to the Minister of Justice and the National Commission on Human Rights for having enabled the Secretary General to visit Mr. Sukatno in prison;
3. Also thanks the Indonesian delegation for the information and observations it provided;
4. Considers that keeping such an old and sick man as Mr. Sukatno in prison and under threat of execution is contrary to all humanitarian standards and unquestionably constitutes cruel and degrading treatment;
5. Considers that the observations of the Secretary General himself lend added weight to the pressing appeals it has made to the President of the Republic that he pardon Mr. Sukatno on humanitarian grounds; and solemnly reiterates its appeal;
6. Calls upon the Indonesian Parliament to submit a formal request to the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights to take action in support of Mr. Sukatno's release;
7. Further calls upon the Indonesian Parliament to ensure at least that Mr. Sukatno's sentence is commuted;
8. Strongly hopes that by the time of its next session, on the occasion of the 98th Inter-Parliamentary Conference, it will have received news of positive developments in this case;
9. Requests the Secretary General to bring this resolution to the attention of the Indonesian National Group, the Minister of Justice and the National Commission on Human Rights, with a formal request to the latter to intervene in support of its representations;
10. Requests the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians to continue examining the case and report to it at its next session (September 1997).