Pubdate: Wed, 05 Feb 2014
Source: Jakarta Post (Indonesia)
Copyright: The Jakarta Post
Contact:  http://www.thejakartapost.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/645
Author: Ina Parlina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

FREEDOM WITHIN REACH FOR
CORBY: MINISTER

Law and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin said on Wednesday that 
he would rule on Australian drug trafficker Schapelle Corby's parole 
application this week, raising speculation that Corby could be released soon.

Corby was arrested at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, 
Bali, in October 2004 for smuggling 4.2 kilograms of marijuana into 
Indonesia. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison and is currently 
detained at Kerobokan Penitentiary in Bali.

Amir said he would review the correctional board's recommendation, 
which completed its meeting on Jan. 30 and had given recommendations 
for 1,772 parole requests in total.

"The correctional board has completed the process. It will now be 
reviewed," Amir said on Wednesday. "I promise I will finish 
[reviewing] it within three days."

A source within the ministry said the correctional board had already 
granted parole for Corby.

However, no relevant official would confirm this, saying the final 
say was Amir's.

Newly appointed penitentiary director general Handoyo Sudrajat also 
declined to confirm the report: "Our principle is that we do not take 
away the rights of inmates who are eligible [for parole]."

However, even if Corby's parole request is granted, she will be 
expected to remain in Bali under the supervision of the correctional 
board until the end of her prison term in addition to a one-year stay 
after the term expires. Thus, Corby would be expected to stay in Bali 
until Sept. 25, 2017.

Parole can be granted to those who have served at least two-thirds of 
their sentence.

Amir, however, pointed out that Corby's request was only one of many, 
emphasizing that she would not receive special treatment.

"This [the review process] does not concern only the Corby [case]. 
She is among [around] 1,700 prisoners [who are being processed]. She 
will not get any special treatment. As long as she follows all the 
regulations and has a recommendation from the correctional board she 
is eligible," he said.

Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Denny Indrayana added that Corby 
would only be considered eligible if her application ticked all the 
right boxes.

"It depends on the minister. He must review the correctional board's 
recommendation and decide whether or not she has followed all the 
regulations and met all the requirements," Denny said.

Denny said that Corby was the only foreigner among the 900 drug 
convicts from a total of 1,772 cases heard during the correctional 
board meeting on Jan. 30.

The Anti-Narcotic National Movement (Granat) had earlier criticized 
the granting of parole, saying it harmed the government's fight against drugs.

Denny shrugged off the criticism. "We see it as a reflection of the 
anti-drug campaign," Denny said, admitting that if Corby's case had 
been handled with the stricter 2012 government regulation on parole 
and remission requirements, parole would be much harder to secure.  
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D