It is unlikely that Indonesia will abolish its use of capital punishment, says a criminal law expert citing historical and Islamic reasons.
Lawyer Muladi said Indonesia's criminal code was inherited from the Dutch colonial era.
"It has existed in our system of law since long ago," Muladi said Sept. 8 reported The Jakarta Post.
Muladi added that capital punishment was also a legal penalty in Islam, the religion followed by most Indonesians.
Under the country's criminal code, Muladi said, capital punishment is based on criminal law principles where a perpetrator must receive a penalty that is equal to the crime they have committed.
"Even if a referendum is held in this country, our citizens will be divided into two groups. Many people may vote in favor of the death penalty. Therefore, what we need to do now is to find middle ground to accommodate the aspirations of our people regarding this matter," said Muladi, who heads a team assigned to revise the country's criminal code.
The last execution took place in the Southeast Asian nation on July 29 when four drug offenders — one Indonesian and three Africans — were executed by firing squad. Ten other convicts due to be executed had a last minute stay of execution.
Indonesia carried out two rounds of executions last year, putting to death six people in January and eight in April.
Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo of Jakarta has said that the Catholic Church would continue to mount and support campaigns opposing the death penalty.