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{Oktober 5, 2009}  

”Sepuluh Jebakan” UU Pengadilan Tipikor
By : Febri Diansyah, peneliti hukum dan anggota badan pekerja ICW
PENGADILAN Tindak Pidana Korupsi (Tipikor) tak jadi mati. Paripurna DPR dan Pemerintah pada penghujung September (29/9) akhirnya mengesahkan UU Pengadilan Tipikor. Publik memang patut bersyukur. Tapi, hati-hati! Ada banyak jebakan yang akan mempersempit ruang gerak penegak hukum menjerat koruptor. Jika dicermati lebih jauh, sebagian besar titik-titik krusial bermasalah yang sudah ditolak sejak awal tidak mengalami perubahan.
Hampir mayoritas materi RUU yang disetujui DPR mirip dengan usulan Pemerintah. Berdasarkan keterangan Presiden saat menyerahkan RUU Pengadilan Tipikor ke DPR (Oktober 2008), delapan isu yang dijelaskan tidak terlalu berubah. Bahkan, ICW mencatat sepuluh ”jebakan tikus” tetap ada hingga detik terakhir pengesahan. Kita bisa mulai dari isu yang paling hangat diperdepatkan di tahap pembahasan Panitia Kerja (Panja).
Pertama, pihak yang berwenang menjadi penuntut umum. Di tengah ekskalasi serangan yang begitu besar terhadap KPK, muncul wacana untuk memangkas kewenangan lembaga itu melakukan penuntutan. Hal ini tentu langsung ditolak tegas oleh publik. Bahkan perdebatan berujung dengan pernyataan sikap politik Presiden yang ingin agar KPK tetap berwenang menuntut. Sepintas, masyarakat bisa melihat, siapa pahlawan pada Pasal 1 butir (4) UU Pengadilan Tipikor ini. Namun, hati-hati.
Dalam berkas revisi UU Nomor 31 Tahun 1999 dan UU 20 Tahun 2001 (RUU Tipikor) versi Pemerintah, sebenarnya tidak dicantumkan kewenangan penuntutan KPK secara tegas. Draf ini bahkan telah diajukan ke DPR sekitar Mei 2009 lalu. Artinya, perubahan sikap Presiden diperkirakan dilakukan pascadesakan dan kecaman yang kuat dari publik. Terutama terkait dengan agenda besar corruptor fight back. Bahkan, munculnya isu pencabutan kewenangan penuntutan KPK di fase Panja DPR, dinilai sebagai strategi politik untuk sekadar mengalihkan tuntutan masyarakat terhadap poin krusial lain seperti penegasan komposisi hakim ad hoc, tempat kedudukan pengadilan, dan seleksi hakim karir yang tertutup.
Harus diakui, langkah itu sangat cerdik sehingga dalam jangka waktu yang sangat sempit, DPR bisa mengalihkan isu tuntutan publik sekaligus memberikan ”kesempatan pencitraan” pada Presiden. Akan tetapi, Pasal 1 butir 4 UU yang membuka ruang KPK menjadi penuntut umum patut dinilai positif. Dengan catatan, kalimat ”penuntut umum adalah penuntut umum sebagaimana diatur dalam peraturan perundang-undangan” tidak ditafsirkan secara menyesatkan oleh praktisi hukum di berbagai daerah.
Kekhawatiran ini bukan tak beralasan karena bahkan anggota Panja DPR sempat mengatakan kewenangan penuntut umum harusnya hanya tunduk pada UU Kejaksaan, bukan pada UU KPK. Karena UU Kejaksaan yang diterbitkan pada tahun 2004, dapat mengesampingkan UU KPK yang mulai berlaku tahun 2002. Logika hukum yang didasarkan pada asas ”UU yang baru mengesampingkan yang lama” ini tentu menyesatkan dan terlalu dipaksakan. Karena kewenangan penuntutan di KPK sesungguhnya diatur dalam UU yang bersifat khusus. Tidak hanya disebutkan secara tegas di UU Nomor 30 Tahun 2002, tetapi juga ditegaskan oleh Mahkamah Agung dan Mahkamah Konstitusi. Subordinat PN.
Jebakan kedua terletak pada upaya memosisikan Pengadilan Tipikor sebagai sub-ordinat Pengadilan Negeri. Seperti diuraikan mantan Ketua MK, sebenarnya pasal yang mengatur tentang ketua dan wakil ketua Pengadilan Tipikor dipegang ex-officio oleh ketua Pengadilan Negeri bertentangan dengan konsep kekhususan versi Putusan MK Nomor 012-016-019 Tahun 2009. Bagi sebagian pihak, poin ini mungkin dapat dilihat sebagai persoalan administratif belaka, atau bahkan dianggap telah eksis dan efektif berlaku di Pengadilan Tipikor saat ini.
Seperti diketahui, ketua Pengadilan Tipikor di Jakarta Pusat, sekaligus adalah ketua Pengadilan Negeri Jakarta Pusat. Namun, kerancuan berpikir seperti ini tentu saja patut didiskusikan lebih jauh. ICW menilai, poin tersebut penting. Karena sangat terkait dengan sebuah jebakan paling berbahaya, yakni kewenangan penentuan komposisi majelis hakim (ad hoc vs karir) oleh ketua Pengadilan. Titik ketiga ini diatur di Pasal 26 Ayat (2). Berdasarkan sejumlah riset tentang pola dan modus mafia peradilan, sebenarnya karakter majelis favorit yang terlihat di berbagai daerah merupakan satu hal paling berbahaya.
Tidak jarang, putusan bebas terhadap terdakwa kasus korupsi dijatuhkan oleh hakim yang sama dengan majelis yang cenderung mirip. Titik kritis bagian ini terletak pada kewenangan penentuan majelis dan komposisi di tangan ketua Pengadilan. Tentu saja, rumusan UU yang mengembalikan ”kecemasan” praktik mafia peradilan sangat bertentangan dengan semangat membasmi koruptor. Apalagi, penentuan komposisi hakim ad hoc yang lebih dominan dibanding hakim karir sudah berlaku efektif dan berhasil selama hampir lima tahun.
Tidak satu pun koruptor dibebaskan di Pengadilan Tipikor. Bahkan, sejumlah skandal besar penguasa politik dan mafia bisnis dibongkar di depan meja para hakim tersebut. Bandingkan dengan hakim karir di pengadilan umum yang cenderung banyak menjatuhkan vonis bebas/lepas terhadap terdakwa kasus korupsi. Dari 1.421 terdakwa yang terpantau, 659 di antaranya divonis bebas/lepas. Sebagian lainnya mendapat hukuman ringan. Hanya sedikit yang dijatuhi vonis berat. Kita patut sangat khawatir dengan pasal yang sangat mundur ini.
Catatan keempat terletak pada Pasal 11. Unsur transparansi dan partisipasi publik hilang dari proses pemilihan hakim karir Pengadilan Tipikor. Bandingkan dengan Pasal 56 Ayat (4) UU KPK yang lama. Jebakan yang satu ini tak kalah pentingnya, karena salah satu tiang utama keberhasilan pemberantasan korupsi ada pada hakim. Bayangkan jika hakim dapat diangkat secara tertutup tanpa kewajiban membuka keterlibatan masyarakat luas? Sesungguhnya ada banyak perangkap lainnya dalam UU Pengadilan Tipikor ini.
Seperti, poin kelima, celah hakim menolak alat bukti penyadapan di Pasal 28 Ayat (1); keenam, batas waktu persidangan yang lebih lama di tingkat Pengadilan Tipikor dan Mahkamah Agung; ketujuh, tidak jelasnya ketentuan hakim ad hoc untuk tingkat ”peninjauan kembali” di MA; kedelapan, Pasal 22 yang tidak secara tegas dan imperatif adanya kepaniteraan khusus di Pengadilan Tipikor, atau hanya menggunakan kata ”dapat ditetapkan”.
Kesembilan, batas waktu pembentukan pengadilan yang rentan disiasati ”jika tidak atau lambat terbentuk” (Pasal 35 Ayat (4)). Disebutkan, pengadilan dibentuk paling lama dua tahun. Bagaimana jika dalam jangka waktu tersebut belum terbentuk? Apakah ada kekosongan pengadilan di sebuah daerah? Atau tercipta kembali ”dualisme” baru karena kasus di daerah kosong tersebut dialihkan ke Pengadilan Umum? Pertanyaan ini tentu menyiratkan adanya potensi ketidakpastian hukum di balik pasal tersebut.
Terkait dengan pasal ini, logika baru dapat tumbuh. Bahwa sejak UU disahkan (29/9) maka KPK tidak dapat mengajukan kasus korupsi di luar DKI Jakarta ke Pengadilan Tipikor sebelum pengadilan di provinsi masing-masing terbentuk. Bagaimana dengan nasib perkara daerah yang sedang ditangani KPK saat ini? Tentu saja akan terancam. Dan jebakan kesepuluh terletak pada delegasi kewenangan pada Mahkamah Agung untuk menyusun Peraturan MA.
Jika dihitung secara cermat ada 4 pilar strategis yang butuh Peraturan MA, yakni: tata cara pemilihan hakim ad hoc, tanggung jawab dan susunan kepaniteraan khusus, keterbukaan informasi pengadilan tipikor, serta komposisi hakim ad hoc vs karir. Dengan kata lain, jika peraturan belum ada maka kasus-kasus yang akan diajukan terancam stagnan untuk sementara. Sepuluh ”jebakan tikus” di atas tentu tidak dapat dianggap remeh. Pihak-pihak terkait seperti Mahkamah Agung dan badan peradilan umum di bawahnya, KPK, Kejaksaan Agung, dan Pemerintah perlu memaksimalkan implementasi Pengadilan Tipikor. Mengingat sikap dari otoritas pengadilan dan pemerintah saat ini, sepatutnya masyarakat semakin yakin, bahwa advokasi Pengadilan Tipikor belum selesai hanya sampai pengesahan.



{Agustus 28, 2009}  

terlalu besar rahasiaMu ya Allah…..
hingga tak kuasa bagi hambaMu ini untuk menguaknya…..
dlamnya kekuasaanMu…tak bisa hamba masuki…
luasnya rahasiaMu….tak dapat hamba jelajahi….
banyak sudah rahmat yag tlah engkau berikan….
tapi aku sia-siakan….
ingin rasanya memeluk gunungMu ya Allah…
tapi hamba penuh keterbatasan….
yang maha tak terbatas hanya Engkau….



{Juni 30, 2009}   tugas….

TUGAS AKHIR UNTUK MK. PERBANDINGAN SISTEM PERADILAN PIDANA

PETUNJUK :

1. Jelaskan beberapa pertanyaan atau pernyataan berikut, disertai dengan rujukan buku atau suber yang dapat dipertanggungjawabkan (model footnote/catatan kaki);
2. Tugas ini merupakan pemenuhan tugas akhir yang nilainya merangkumi 50% dari keseluruhan proses kegiatan MK ini;
3. setiap mahasiswa tidak boleh mengkopi/copy paste dari teman yang lain, meskipun tidak menutup peluang untuk mendiskusikan tugas ini bersama dengan teman yang lain, (jawaban tidak boleh menggunakan bahasa yang sama persis)
4. Jawaban dalam bentuk soft copy dikirim ke email saya ini, paling lambat : 15 Juli 2009. = mnajihukm@gmail.com

TUGAS YANG PERLU DIJELASKAN
A. Sistem peradilan pidana dibentuk untuk menangani dan menanggulangi kejahatan di masyarakat; mengapa negara perlu membentuk sistem peradilan pidana? Apakah ada hubungan antara sistem peradilan pidana dengan tujuan negara? (poin 20%)
B. Apakah sistem peradilan pidana merupakan satu satunya cara untuk menanggulangi kejahatan? Dan jelaskan ada berapa pendekatan yang ada`dalam sistem peradilan pidana yang dipakai atau berlaku di dunia, (dalam sekala besarnya sahaja) (point 20%);
C. Apakah yang saudara ketahui tentang mafia peradilan? Mengapa dalam sistem peradilan pidana terjadi juga mafia peradilan ? (point 30%), sebagaimana dikemukakan oleh Transparency Internasional 2007-2009 bahwa beberapa elemen Sistem Peradilan Pidana Indonesia termasuk diantara lembaga yang masih tinggi tingkat penyalahgunaannya (mafia peradilannya); apakah yang paling diperlukan untuk menghapauskan kesan atau gejala mafia peradilan itu ?
D. Berikan pandangan saudara kaitannya dengan pemahaman bahan-bahan yang menjadi tugas kelompok (secara keseluruhan/bukan pertkelompok) mengenai review bahan literatur mengenai perbandingan SPP dari enam negara tersebut?? Apa yang penting dan mempunyai kelebihan di enam negara` tersebut dari elemen elemen SPP-nya, jelaksan !!! (poin 20%)
E. Dan bagaimana pemahaman saudara mengenai sistem peradilan pidana di Cina ? (dari bahan yang saya lampirkan juga dalam email ini), jelaksan ! (poin 10%)

Selamat mengerjakan, sukses selalu.

WORLD FACTBOOK OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS

China

by

Jianan Guo
Ministry of Justice

Guo Xiang
China University of Politics and Law

Wu Zongxian
Ministry of Justice of China

Xu Zhangrun
University of Politics and Law

Peng Xiaohui
China University of Politics and Law

Li Shuangshuang
China University of Politics and Law

This country report is one of many prepared for the World Factbook of Criminal Justice Systems under Grant No. 90-BJ-CX-0002 from the Bureau of Justice Statistics to the State University of New York at Albany. The project director for the World Factbook of Criminal Justice was Graeme R. Newman, but responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained in each report is that of the individual author. The contents of these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Bureau of Justice Statistics or the U.S. Department of Justice.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

1. Political System.

China is a unitary, multi-national socialist country with 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under authority of the central government. There are also cities and autonomous prefectures operating directly under these provincial and autonomous regional governments, which totaled 458 in 1991. Under these cities and autonomous prefectures are county and city districts, which totaled 1,904 in 1991. China’s criminal justice system consists of police, procurates, courts and correctional institutions. At the central level, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice administer China’s police and correctional institutions, respectively. The Supreme People’s Court is the highest judicial branch in the country. The Supreme People’s Procurate is the highest state branch of legal supervision, with prosecution as its main function. The police departments or bureaus, the justice departments or bureaus, procurates and courts at various levels are established to fulfill their respective duties in their own jurisdictions.

2. Legal System.

The legal system of the People’s Republic of China is typically Marxist. As declared under the first article of the Criminal Law, Marxist – Leninist – Mao Zedong Thought are the guiding principles of the present law. The legislators in the People’s Republic of China view laws, especially criminal laws, as the tool of the ruling class (synonymous with the state), to be used as a coercive force to repress the ruled. The criminal law represents the interests of the ruling class, which defines certain acts as crime. In judicial activities, public security branches, people’s procurates and people’s courts have a division of labor with separate responsibilities and checks and balances to guarantee the accurate and effective enforcement of the law. The public security branches are responsible for the investigation, detention, and preparatory examination of criminal cases. The people’s procurates are responsible for approving arrest, conducting procuratorial work (including investigation) and initiating public prosecution. The people’s courts are responsible for adjudication. The prison or other places of reform through labor are responsible for sentence execution. No other branch, organization, or individual has the right to exercise their powers. An informal justice system, the People’s Mediation of Disputes, does play a significant part in the justice system. However, only criminal cases of private prosecution can be settled through mediation in the court.

3. History of Criminal Justice System.

Historically, each dynasty in China had their own written statutes and customary laws comprising their criminal law. Famous ancient criminal statutes include the Yuxing criminal laws of the Xia Dynasty, the Tandxing criminal laws of the Shang Dynasty, the Jiuxing criminal laws of the Zhou Dynasty, the Qinlu laws of the Qing Dynasty, the Hanlu laws of the Han Dynasty, the Tanglu laws of the Tang Dynasty, the Daminglu criminal code of the Ming Dynasty, and the Daqing luli criminal code of the Qing Dynasty. The common characteristic among these dynasties was that their criminal justice systems were operated by administrative officials. With the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, a new political era was born in China’s 5,000 year history. When the Communist Party came into power for the first time in China, one of its first priorities was to abolish the laws enacted by the old government and replace them with new ones. Upon invalidating the 6 laws of the Kuomintang regime in February, 1949 (e.g. Constitution, Civil Law, Commercial Law, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure Law, and Criminal Procedure Law), the new government began to construct a socialist legal system. In 1954, the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China was adopted at the National People’s Congress, the highest legislative body of the country. That same year, legislation on Reform Through Labor of the People’s Republic of China was adopted and in 1957, legislation on Police of the People’s Republic of China was adopted.

Meanwhile, drafts of new laws such as Criminal Law, Civil Law, Criminal Procedure Law, and Civil Procedure Law were prepared and continually revised. The “Cultural Revolution” initiated in 1966 broke off the course of legal construction in China. Twelve years later, the Third Plenary
Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party held in December, 1978,
decided to end the “Cultural Revolution” campaign and put great emphasis on the institutionalization and legislation of the socialist democracy and on the stability, continuity and authority of law.

Thereafter, legal reconstruction began in China. After the draft was revised more than 30 times, the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China was finally adopted at the 2nd session of the 5th National People’s Congress in July, 1979. The Criminal Procedure Law of the People’s Republic of China was also adopted at the same session in 1979.
It took 30 years for the People’s Republic of China to enact its first laws. Until 1979 there were no legal standards to guide judges to try criminals. As a supplement to the Criminal Law, a special law called The Interim Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Concerning the Punishment of Servicemen in Violation of their Duty, and 12 other amendments to the Criminal Law have been adopted by National People’s Congress. In 1982, amendments to the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China were adopted and in 1990, the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Regarding the Prohibition of Drugs was established.

CRIME

1. Classification of Crimes.

* Legal classification. In the Criminal Law, crimes are classified into eight categories according to the object of the crime: 1) crimes of counterrevolution, which are crimes endangering the People’s Republic of China such as treason, espionage, and mass rebellion; 2) crimes of endangering public security, which are crimes endangering the life and wealth of many people, as
well as the security of public and private property, such as arson, breach dikes, explosions, spreading poison, causing traffic accidents, illegal manufacturing, trading in or transporting guns or ammunition, and causing major productive accidents; 3) crimes of undermining the socialist economic order, which includes smuggling, speculation, falsely passing off trade marks, and illegally chopping down trees; 4) crimes of infringing upon the right of the person and the democratic rights of citizens, such as homicide, bodily injury, rape, forcing women into prostitution, abducting and selling people, unlawful detention of another person, unlawful intrusion into another person’s residence, falsely accusing and framing, defamation, insult and humiliation, giving false evidence or testimony, and using torture to coerce a statement; 5) crimes
of property violation, such as robbery, stealing, swindling, corruption, and extortion by blackmail;
6) crimes of disrupting social order, such as disrupting public affairs, official documents, certificates or seals, harboring criminals, concealing stolen goods, hooligan activities, and gambling; 7) crimes of disrupting marriage and the family, such as bigamy, abuse of a family member, abandonment, and abducting a child; and 8) crimes of dereliction of duty, such as bribery and subjecting imprisoned persons to corporal punishment and abuse. In addition, Criminal Procedure Law categorizes crimes into Crimes of Public Prosecution and Crimes of Private Prosecution.

* Age of criminal responsibility. The age of criminal responsibility is 16. However, a person between the ages of 14 and 16 who commits homicide, infliction of serious bodily injury, robbery, arson, habitual theft, or any other crime which seriously undermines the social order bears full criminal responsibility. Under this circumstance, the severity of the punishment is lighter or mitigated. The death penalty is not allowed to be imposed on a person under the age of
18. When a person is not punished because he or she is under 16 years-old, the head of the family
or guardian is ordered to subject the person to discipline. When necessary, the person may also be given shelter and rehabilitation by the government.

* Drug offenses. Drug offenses as defined in the Criminal Law include the manufacturing, selling and transportation of drugs. Heroin and opium are the most prevalent drugs that are sold. Using drugs is not a criminal offense. As an amendment to the Criminal Law, the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on the Strict Prohibition Against Narcotic Drugs includes holding drugs (possession) or taking actions to lure, instigate, deceive and/or force others to use drugs as among drug-related crimes.
2. Crime Statistics.

Until 1986, crime statistics had not been disclosed to the public. In 1987, the Ministry of Public Security presented the first group of crime statistics data in the China Law Yearbook of 1987. The data included statistics from 1981 to 1986 and was compiled by the China Law Society, which has thereafter published updates of criminal justice data every year. The data presented by the Ministry included the number of crimes recorded by the police, the rates of recorded crime and the number of arrests made by the police. The following data are from the Chinese Law yearbook (1991, 1992). The offenses are based on administrative definitions used by the public security branches.

* Murder. There were 23,199 murders recorded by the police in 1991 (The number of murders recorded by police in previous years are as follows: 21,214 (1990); 19,590 (1989); 15,959 (1988); 13,154 (1987); 1,510 (1986); 10,440 (1985); 9,021 (1984); 10,353 (1983); 9,324 (1982); and 9,576 (1981)). Attempts are included.

* Rape. There were 50,331 cases of rape recorded by the police in 1991 (The number of rape cases reported by police in previous years are as follows: 47,782 (1990); 40,909 (1989); 34,120 (1988); 37,225 (1987); 39,121 (1986); 37,712 (1985); 44,630 (1984); 57,914 (1983); 35,361 (1982); and 30,808 (1981)). Attempts are included.

* Theft. There were 1,922,506 cases of larceny recorded by police in 1991 (The number of larceny cases recorded by police in previous years are as follows: 1,860,793 (1990); 1,673,222 (1989); 658,683 (1988); 435,235 (1987); 425,845 (1986); 431,323 (1985); 395,319 (1984); 571,255 (1983); 609,481 (1982); and 744,376 (1981)). Attempts are included.

* Drug offenses. There were 8,344 drug offense cases recorded by the police in 1991, at a rate of .70 per 100,000 population. Attempts are not included.

* Crime regions. The crime rate is much higher in the South East Coastal provinces which is a more open, economically prosperous and densely populated area. Most drug offenders are from the Yunnan Province and Guangxi Autonomous Region in South West China. Both areas are close to the Golden Triangle Area, one of the most notable drug sources in the world. Generally, the overall crime rate in cities is much higher than the rural areas. The crimes of abducting women and children are higher in the rural areas of Sichuan Province, Henan Province, Shandong Province than other rural provinces. Also coastal areas, such as the Guangdong Province, Fujian Province, Zhejiang Province and Shenzhen Special District, have higher crime rates than landlocked areas.

VICTIMS

1. Groups Most Victimized by Crime.

The first victimization survey is presently being planned with technical and financial assistance from the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute.

2. Victims’ Assistance Agencies.

China has not established victims’ assistance agencies, but some organizations for youth and women have provided economic and legal aid and psychological counseling. Also, some mental health departments as well as psychologists, psychiatrists, and sociologists have established mental clinics or hot-line telephones for psychological counseling. In addition, criminal law stipulates, “Where the victim has suffered economic loss as a result of a criminal act, the criminal element, in addition to receiving criminal sanction according to law, shall in accordance with the circumstances be sentenced to make compensation for the criminal loss.”

3. Role of Victim in Prosecution and Sentencing.
Victims of crime have the right to bring a complaint and the right to give evidence. They also have the right to claim economic compensation, through a supplementary civil action. A victim can bring a charge against a criminal in private prosecution cases and intervene in the court as a third party in public prosecution cases. If the victim does not agree with judgments or orders of the court, he or she has the right to appeal to a higher court in private prosecution cases or may petition the court or the procurate in the public prosecution cases.

4. Victims’ Rights Legislation.

China has not passed any special victim’s comprehensive legislation.

POLICE

1. Administration.

In the People’s Republic of China, the police agencies include the Ministry of Public Security at the central level, the local public security bureaus at various levels and public security forces for railways, highways, navigation, air transport, forests and other fields. The organizational structure from top to bottom is: Ministry of Public Security, Provincial Public Security Departments/Bureaus, Prefectural Public Security Departments/Bureaus, County Public Security Bureaus, Local Police Stations. In addition, the Public Security Offices of Ministry of Railways and Public Security Offices of Ministry of Communications also fall under the authority of the Ministry of Public Security. The Ministry of Public Security, which operates under the State Council, is the highest police agency in the country. Local public security agencies are responsible for the public security in their respective localities under the dual leadership of local government and higher public agencies. The public security forces for railways, highways, navigation, air transport, forests and other special fields are under the administrative leadership of their respective ministries or departments and the profesional leadership of higher public security agencies. They cooperate closely with the local public security agencies.

The Chinese People’s Armed Police is a part of the armed forces in the country, a component of the public security force and a branch of the People’s police under the leadership of The Central Military Commission and the Ministry of Public Security. The local armed police are under the leadership of the local public security agencies and higher organizations of the armed police. Their principal duties include inner guard, frontier control and inspection, exit and entry control, as well as fire-fighting.

2. Resources.

* Expenditures. Information not available.

* Number of police. In 1991, there were a total of 1,484,000 police officers, of which 825,000 were people’s policemen and 659,000 were armed policemen.

3. Technology.

* Availability of police automobiles. On the average, every police station with at least 7 or 8 policemen has one car. The higher the number of policemen in the agency, the higher the number of cars. Most police automobiles are made in China.

* Electronic equipment. The Science and Technology Bureau, operating under the Ministry of Public Security, is in charge of national scientific and technical administration that is related to the public security. Computers are extensively used in criminal investigation, traffic control and communication. A fingerprint
search system was computerized in 1986. In 1987, a special police communication network linking all the police agencies at the county level and above was established. A radio communication network at provincial level was also established in the 1980s.

* Weapons. Police weapons include the baton, police rope, handcuffs, tear-gas, grenades, pistols, and semi-automatic rifles. Although bulletproof vests are available to police, information on the police to vest ratio is unavailable.

4. Training and Qualifications.

Most police officers graduate from the police universities of the country or the police academies of provinces. Under special circumstances, police agencies can also recruit new staff from individuals who do not have a diploma of police universities or schools. It is required, however, for an applicant to be a graduate of senior high school or university, be under the age of 25, and have a strong physique. There are different levels of training institutions. The colleges or academies which are run by the Ministry of Public Security train the directors of public security (or bureaus) of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.
The colleges and schools at the level of province, autonomous region and municipality, train the directors of county public security bureaus, the leaders of the public security branch bureaus in the municipalities and the leader’s subordinates, such as section chiefs and squad heads. Schools attached to the prefectures and municipalities under the provincial government train section chiefs, station leaders, squad heads and other police officers. Training periods last for an average of six months and vary for different trainees.

5. Discretion.

* Use of force. The criminal police carry pistols, batons, and handcuffs when performing their duties. They are permitted to use guns to stop a crime or defend themselves. Specifically, they can use deadly force as a last resort to stop situations where 1) the offender tries to resist or escape apprehension, steals weapons carried by police, or attacks police officers while being arrested or detained; (2) the offender is in the process of committing a violent crime and putting citizens’ lives in danger; (3) the offender is attacking an object under guard by the police; (4) a group of offenders raid a prison and/or prisoners are escaping, rioting, murdering, or stealing guns from security officers; or (5) the offender physically threatens the life of a police officer. Before using their pistols, they must issue an oral warning or fire a warning shot. Only when these warnings do not affect the criminal behavior, can police fire the pistol.

* Stop/apprehend a suspect. Under the following circumstances, the police can detain an individual who, depending on the nature of the crime, has become a major suspect and/or should be arrested: (1) the person is preparing to commit a crime, is committing a crime or is discovered immediately after committing a crime; (2) the person is identified as having committed a crime by a victim or eyewitness; (3) the person is discovered to have criminal evidence on his person or at his residence; (4) the person attempts to commit suicide, to escape or becomes a fugitive after committing the crime; (5) the person has the opportunity to destroy or falsify evidence or collude with others to devise a false account of events; (6) the person’s true identity is unknown and is suspected of committing crimes in several geographic areas; or (7) the person is “beating, smashing and looting” and undermining work, production or the social order.

* Decision to arrest. The police can arrest a suspect with a warrant issued by the Chief Prosecutor.

* Search and seizure. The police may conduct searches of the persons, articles, residences and other relevant places of defendants for the purpose of gathering criminal evidence and apprehending criminals. They may also search people believed to be hiding criminals or criminal evidence. Before conducting such a search, officers must show a search warrant to the person to be searched. A search may be conducted without a search warrant if an emergency arises during the arrest or detention process. The suspect, family
members, neighbors or other eyewitness are usually present during the search. If articles or documents are discovered that can be used to prove guilt or innocence, they are usually examined by eyewitnesses and/or the person being searched. After the search, an inventory of the seized items is made in duplicate with one copy given to the person who was searched.

* Confessions. According to the Criminal Procedure Law, it is prohibited to use torture to coerce confessions or gather evidence through threats, enticement, deceit or other unlawful methods. Interrogation of the defendant must be conducted by the investigation personnel of the people’s procuratorates or the public security branches. No fewer than 2 investigation personnel may be present during interrogation. When interrogating a defendant, investigation personnel shall first ask the defendant whether he or she engaged in a criminal act and then let the defendant state the circumstances of guilt or innocence. The defendant must answer the investigation personnel’s questions according to the facts, but has the right to refuse to answer questions that have no relation to the case. A person who is proficient in sign language must participate in the interrogation of a deaf or mute defendant, and a clear transcript is to be made of such circumstances.

6. Accountability.

Complaints against police misbehavior are handled by the supervisory bureau or sections within the Ministry of Public Security or lower public security branches. Any citizen may prosecute the illegal behavior of police officers and bring the case to a people’s procurate or a people’s court, and can initiate petition to the higher public security branch. The criminal law stipulates, “…the use of torture to coerce a statement is strictly prohibited. State personnel who inflict torture on an offender to coerce a statement are to be sentenced to not more than 3 years of fixed-term imprisonment or criminal detention. Whoever causes a person’s injury or disability through corporal punishment is to be handled under the crime of injury and given a heavier punishment.” (Article 136).

PROSECUTORIAL AND JUDICIAL PROCESS

1. Rights of the Accused.

* Rights of the accused. In addition to exercising the right to defend themselves, defendants may also authorize the following people to defend them: a) lawyers; b) citizens recommended by a people’s organization or the defender’s unit, or who are authorized by the people’s court; or c) close relatives or guardians of the defendant. The accused also has the right of knowing the nature of the accusation, the right to participate in proceedings in his or her native spoken and written language, to apply for new expert evaluation or inspection during the courtroom hearing, the right to request the chief judge to ask certain questions to witnesses or else ask them directly, the right to make a final statement after the chief judge has announced the closing of the debate, the right to raise a counterclaim against the private prosecutor in a case of private prosecution and the right to request that members of the judicial panel, the court clerk, the public prosecutor, expert witness or interpreters withdraw from the case.

The accused also has the right to appeal and the right to petition judgments or orders, which have become legally effective, to the people’s courts or the people’s procurates In cases where the public prosecutor appears in court to bring a public prosecution and the defendant has not authorized anyone to be his or her defender, the people’s court may designate a defender. If the defendant is deaf, mute, or a minor and has not authorized a defender, the people’s court designates a defender. The defender presents materials and opinions demonstrating the innocence of the defendant. He or she can also argue that the crime was minor or that the defendant should receive mitigated punishment or be exempted from criminal responsibility, safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of the defendant. During the adjudication process, the defendant may refuse to have a defender continue and authorize another defender instead.

* Assistance to the accused. An accused is entitled to call upon the assistance of a defense lawyer of his or her own choice. In public prosecution cases, the court will designate a defense attorney if the defendant has not already authorized an attorney for his or her defense.

2. Procedures.

* Preparatory procedures for bringing the suspect to trial. After a suspect is arrested, family or living partners are notified within 24 hours along with the reasons for his arrest and the place of custody. Notification does not occur in cases where it would hinder the investigation or the parties are not able to be reached. After the police investigate an offense, they draft an opinion which either recommends prosecution or exemption from prosecution. They then transfer the opinion, case file materials, and evidence to the procurate at the same level for review. The procurate then reviews the case and makes a decision on whether to prosecute the suspect.
If a decision is made to prosecute the suspect, the procurate then initiates a public prosecution in the court at the same level. The court will review the case prosecuted by the procurate. If the facts of the case are clear and the evidence is sufficient, the court can decide to open the court session for adjudication, in which the suspect is formally brought to trial. The procurate can also grant exemption from prosecution for certain minor crimes.

* Official who conducts prosecution. A member of the People’s Procurate, an independent branch of the criminal justice system, conducts the prosecution of the accused.

* Alternatives to going to trial. Information not available.

* Proportion of prosecuted cases going to trial. Data indicate that 83% of the prosecuted cases went to trial in 1991. In that year, the procurate granted exemption to 48,180 cases which were recommended for prosecution by the police.

* Pre-trial incarceration conditions. Police must conduct an interrogation of the detained person within 24 hours of being held in custody. If there are no grounds found for detention, the detained person must be released immediately. If the police consider it necessary to arrest a detained person, they can request the prosecutor to issue a warrant within three days after detention. The prosecutor must make the decision to approve or disapprove this arrest within three days. If the prosecutor does not approve the arrest, the police are required to release the detained person immediately after receiving notice.
The period for holding an arrestee in custody during investigation may not exceed two months. This period can be extended for one month in cases with complex circumstances, where the case cannot be concluded before the two months is over. The severity of crime and the dangerousness
of the suspect are key considerations when deciding whether a suspect should be incarcerated before or while awaiting trial. If a suspect is considered a threat to the community or the crime carries a prison sentence the suspect is usually put in jail to await trial.

* Bail procedure. Defendants are allowed to obtain a guarantor and await trial out of custody or to live at home under surveillance. Defendants living at home under surveillance are not allowed
to leave their home. Defendants for whom there is a lack of evidence for the case, or who are women and are pregnant or nursing their own baby, or who are suffering from a grave illness, are among those persons allowed to obtain a guarantor.

* Proportion of pre-trial offenders incarcerated. The annual number of prisoners awaiting trial is about 400,000.

JUDICIAL SYSTEM

1. Administration.

There are four levels of courts used to adjudicate criminal cases, from highest to lowest: the Supreme People’s Court, the Higher People’s Courts, the Intermediate People’s Courts and the Primary People’s Courts.

Supreme People’s Court. At the central level, this court is the highest judicial branch of the state. It handles major criminal cases that have national importance, and appeals or protests brought against the judgments and orders of the Higher People’s Court and the People’s Military Court. Cases of protest brought by the Supreme People’s Procurate in accordance with the procedures of judicial supervision are also heard. In addition, the Court supervises the administration of justice by lower courts at different levels, such as the Higher People’s Courts and the several military courts in operation (e.g. Military Courts of Greater Areas and ifferent Arms and Services; Primary Military Courts).

Higher People’s Courts. These courts are set up in the different provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. As of 1991, there were 31 Higher People’s Courts in the country. These courts handle cases of first instance, cases that are transferred from people’s courts at lower levels, cases of appeals and protests brought against judgments and orders of the Intermediate People’s Courts, and cases of protests brought by people’s procurates in accordance with the procedures of judicial supervision. It also supervises the administration of justice by lower courts. The Maritime Courts, Intermediate Railway Transport Courts, and Primary Railway Transport Courts all operate under the authority of the Higher People’sCourts.

Intermediate Courts. Intermediate courts are established in the prefectures, cities and autonomous prefectures within the jurisdiction of provinces and municipalities. As of 1991, there were 377 Intermediate People’s Courts in the country.

These courts handle cases of first instance, cases that are transferred from the Primary People’s Courts, appeals and protests brought against judgments and orders of the Primary People’s Courts and cases of protests lodged by the people’s procurates in accordance with the procedures of judicial supervision. They also supervise the administration of justice by the Primary People’s Courts.

Primary People’s Courts. The Primary People’s Courts are established in counties, autonomous counties, cities (at country level) and municipal districts. As of 1991, there were 3,057 Primary People’s Courts. These courts handle all criminal cases, except those that fall within the jurisdiction of the higher level courts.

2. Special Courts.

The Primary People’s Court may set up a certain number of people’s tribunals in the area under its jurisdiction, depending on the local conditions, population size and crime rate. A people’s tribunal is a component of the Primary People’s Court. Its sentences and orders carry the same impact and meaning as those of the Primary People’s Courts. As of 1991, there were 3,150 people’s tribunals.

3. Judges.

* Number of judges. As of 1991, there were 138,459 judges, among whom 119,966 were male, 18,493 were female; 126,450 were Han (ethnic Chinese) and 12,009 were from various minorities. In 1991, there were 3,312 presidents of the people’s courts at various levels, of which there were 73 female presidents and 545 minority nationality presidents. There were 45,311 presidents of chambers, of which there were 2,572 female and 3,831 minority nationality presidents.

* Appointments and Qualifications. The president of the Supreme People’s Court is elected by the National People’s Congress. The vice-presidents, presidents and vice-presidents of the chambers, and judges of the Supreme People’s Court are appointed or removed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. The presidents of local people’s courts are elected by the local people’s congress at different levels. Citizens who have reached the age of 23 and have the right to vote and the right to be elected may be elected as the presidents of the people’s courts or appointed as the vice-presidents and presidents of the chambers, or appointed judges of people’s courts. Persons who have been deprived of their political rights are excluded. Judges, at various levels, must be graduates of higher or secondary legal schools, or have received special legal training, mastered professional legal knowledge, or had practical experiences. China has established the National Sparetime University of Judges and training centers for the training of judges. At the end of 1991, these centers had produced more than 35,000 graduates and had enrollments of more than 50,000 students. In addition, the Supreme People’s Court established the Chinese Training Center for Senior judges.

PENALTIES AND SENTENCING

1. Sentencing Process.

* Who determines the sentence? Except in cases under private prosecution, all cases of first instance are tried by a collegial panel which consists of one judge and two people’s representatives, who decide the guilt of the defendant and the sentence to be imposed if the defendant is found guilty. Adjudication of cases in the first instance in the high people’s courts or the Supreme People’s Court are conducted by a collegial panel composed of 1 to 3 judges and 2 to 4 people’s assessors. In carrying out their duties in the people’s courts, people’s assessor have equal rights as judges. Adjudication of appealed and protested cases in the people’s courts is conducted by a collegial panel composed of 3 to 5 judges.

* Is there a special sentencing hearing? Information not available.

* Which persons have input into the sentencing process? When deciding the punishment of a criminal, the collegial panel imposes the sentence based on the facts of the crime, the nature and circumstances of the crime, and the degree of harm done to society, in accordance with the relevant stipulations of the criminal law. All property illegally obtained by the criminal is to be recovered. The criminal is then ordered to make restitution or pay compensation for them.

Contraband and the criminal’s own articles of property used for committing the crime are confiscated. When the collegial panel is deciding the sentence, if opinions diverge, the minority defers to the majority, although the opinion of the minority is still entered into the transcript. All major or difficult cases, where the president of the court considers it necessary to submit the matter to the adjudication committee for discussion, are to be submitted by the president of the court to the adjudication committee for discussion and decision. The collegial panel carries out the decisions of the adjudication committee.

2. Types of Penalties.

* Range of penalties. There are 5 types of principal penalties and 3 kinds of accessory penalties provided in the criminal law. Principal penalties include: 1) Guanzhi (control); 2) Juyi (criminal detention; 3) fixed-term imprisonment; 4) life imprisonment; and 5) the death penalty. Guanzhi is imposed for minor offenses. The offender usually continues to work in his or her place of employment and continues to receive normal wages, while undergoing the supervision of public security agents. The offender is required to make periodic reports of his or her circumstances. This penalty can be set for a period of 3 months to 2 years. Juyi is also imposed for minor offenses. The offender is deprived of freedom and confined in a detention house, rather than a prison institution. The offender may go home 1 or 2 days each month and be paid for work. This penalty can be set for a period of 15 days to 6 months. Fixed-term imprisonment periods can be set between 6 months to 15 years. However, the sentence may reach 20 years when combined with other penalties. Accessory penalties include: fine, deprivation of political rights and confiscation of property. The supplementary punishments can also be applied independently.

* Death penalty. Under criminal law, the death penalty is reserved for serious crimes such as murder, rape and serious property crimes. However, it cannot be imposed on juveniles under the age of 18 or women who are pregnant at the time of adjudication. Persons between 16 and 18 years-old may be sentenced to death if the crime is particularly heinous. However, they are also given a two-year suspension of execution period. If a criminal is sentenced to death, but immediate execution is not essential, a two-year suspension of execution may be announced at the
same time the sentence is imposed, followed by the carrying out of reform-through-labor activities. If the offender repents and demonstrates meritorious service upon the expiration of the two-year period, his or her sentence may be reduced to fixed imprisonment between 15 and 20 years. If there is evidence that the offender resisted reform in an odious manner, the death penalty is to be executed upon the order or approval of the Supreme People’s Court. The method of execution is by shooting.

PRISON

1. Description.

* Number of prisons and type. Prisons are commonly called, reform-through-labor organs or labor reform institutions. There are mainly 5 types of incarcerative institutions: 1)prisons; 2) reform-through-labor institutions, in which criminals are sentenced to a minimum of 1 year fixed-term imprisonment; 3) reform house of juvenile delinquents; 4) Juyi house (criminal detention house), which houses offenders sentenced to criminal detention; and the 5) Kanshou house (detention house), which houses offenders awaiting trial. As of 1991, there were 684 prison institutions including Reform-Through-Labor Teams and Juvenile Reformatories.

* Number of prison beds. Information not available

* Average daily population/number of prisoners. In 1991, the daily average correctional institution population was 1,206,975, of whom 97.85% were male and 2.15% were female. In terms of ethnicity, 91.59% were Hans and 8.41% were minorities.

* Number of annual admissions. In 1991, the number of admissions was estimated at 300,000.

* Actual or estimated proportions of inmates incarcerated. The actual percentage of inmates incarcerated for various crimes are the following: Drug Crimes .8%, Violent Crimes 34.4%,
Property Crimes 60.6%; Other 4.2%.

2. Administration.

* Administration. The prison system is composed of the Reform-Through-Labor Administration (which operates under the authority of the Ministry of Justice), the Reform-Through-Labor Bureau (operating under authority of the Justice Offices (bureau) of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities), and various prisons. Prison administration generally involves addressing the following activities: vocational guidance of national reform through labor work; controlling the nation-wide implementation of reform through labor policies; inspecting work quality of inmates; facilitating the sharing of work experiences between inmates; studying and drafting the regulations concerning prison administration and other related regulations and supervising their implementation; organizing and guiding the prison bureau of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities formulating the plans and measures of reforming criminals; organizing the compiling of material for educating criminals; assisting the departments concerned in arranging for the placement of those released from prisons; and providing vocational training to correctional officers.
Correctional institutions include prisons, Reform Through Labor Teams and Juvenile Reformatories. The Reform Through Labor Bureaus are in charge of reform through labor work and exercise direct leadership over various prisons in their own jurisdictions. Those incarcerated in prisons are: offenders given death sentences with a two-year suspension, offenders sentenced to life imprisonment, offenders who must serve at least 10 years in prison before release, foreign offenders and female offenders. The rest of the offenders given incarcerative sentences are held in the Reform-Through-Labor Teams. Juvenile Reformatories provide special correctional services to juvenile delinquents.

* Prison guards. As of 1991, there were nearly 200,000 uniformed prison officers, whom are alled cadres.

* Training and qualifications. Most correctional officers are graduates of correctional academies or are prior military men. There are two levels of training institutions. The Central Administrative Cadres of College for Reform-Through-Labor and Reeducation Through Labor, located in Baoding, Hebei Province, exists at the central level as an advanced training institute for senior officers such as wardens. Correctional schools at the provincial level train the other correctional officers.

* Expenditure on the prison system. Information not available.

3. Prison conditions.

* Remissions. Under law, prisoners can have sentences reduced for good behavior or be released on parole. Parole is granted to prisoners who have served more than half of their sentences and who show improvement in their behavior and/or attitude. In 1990, 16.3% of all offenders serving
a sentence had their sentence reduced or were released on parole. This figure increased to 8.35% in 1991.

* Work/education. Prison conditions generally correspond to living conditions in Chinese communities. Under Chinese law, all inmates who are able to work must do so, but inmates who are unable to work because they are old, ill or otherwise unfit to work do not participate in work. In 1990, about 10% of the prison population did not participate in work activities. Prisons provide both educational and vocational programs. In fact, prisoners have the right to make reasonable suggestions concerning management, educational programs, production, recreational activities, or sanitary conditions of their institution. Since 1981, the Chinese government has included education of criminals in its national education program. Where conditions permit, special educational institutions are set up for formal and institutionalized legal, moral, cultural, and technical education of prisoners.

By the end of 1991, 72.82% of all prison and reform-through-labor branches had established such special schools. The school has a dean, teachers’ office, and a teaching program and curriculum prepared each term, each year. Prisoners study about 2 hours a day. Teaching staff are especially selected for the school; some are chosen from among the prisoners with a higher education level. Prisoners who have attended classes and pass exams given by the local educational department are given educational certificates equivalent to those issued by outside educational institutions. By the end of 1991, over 12,000 classes of various kinds were being offered in prisons and reform-through-labor branches. Over 518,000 prisoners attended the classes. 92.35% of those eligible to attend were admitted. There were 5,300 prisoners studying through classes offered in publications, correspondence colleges, part-time colleges and television college programs. Four thousand prisoners took higher education exams for self-study.

Vocational education is a major part of the education program. In 1991, over 561,000 prisoners took part in training courses for various skills, representing 83.18% of the total number of eligible prisoners. A total of 546,000 certificates for various levels of technical proficiency were issued to prisoners by societal labor departments.

* Amenities/privileges. The state guarantees material needs such as food, clothing, housing, etc. In addition, prisoners have the right to an appeal, the right to protection against assault on their human dignity or personal safety, the right to believe in a religion, certain civil rights, and the right to vote, unless they have been stripped of their political rights. Recreational, cultural, and sports activities are offered to create a positive atmosphere for change among the prisoners. Prisoners have the right to exchange letters with relatives and friends. Family members are encouraged to promote change in the prisoners. Prisoners are allowed regular visits from family members, no more than twice a month. However, special visits can be set up so that family members can advise troubled prisoners who are not progressing steadily toward reform. Prisoners can obtain medical treatment in prison or in community hospitals. Group therapy and counseling is also available. Prisoners have a general right to maintain good health. They enjoy free medical care and receive a regular medical check up once a year. There is a total of 2,944 medical institutions of various kinds in the prisons and reform-through-labor institutions. For every 1,000 prisoners, there are 3.54 medical doctors and 14.8 hospital beds available.

EXTRADITION AND TREATIES

* Extradition. China has not signed any bilateral or multilateral treaty concerning criminal extradition with any other country. China has acceded to 3 international conventions between 1978 and 1980. Under the Convention on Offenses and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft (1963), Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft (1970), and Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation (1971), criminals who make unlawful seizure of aircraft may be extradited to or from the countries or regions that acceded to the three conventions. For example, China extradited criminals who committed aircraft hijacking from Japan.
In 1984, China became a member state of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO).
Some criminals have been wanted for arrest by the ICPO.

* Exchange and transfer of prisoners. There have been several cases in which suspects were transferred from foreign countries to China through the diplomatic channels.

* Specified Conditions. Information not available

SOURCES

Cheng Guangzhong. Science of Criminal Procedure Law. (China University of Politics and Law), 1990.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1987. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1987.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1988. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1988.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1989. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1989.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1990. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1990.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1991. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1991.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1992. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1992.

Constitution of The People’s Republic Of China, (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1982.

Gao Mingxuan, et.al., Science of Criminal Law. (The Law Publishing House), 1988.

Guo Xiang, et.al., Dictionary of Criminology. (Shanghai People’s Publishing House), 1989.

Guo Xiang, et.al. Situations of Crimes in China (1990-1992), Unpublished.

Guo, Xiang, et.al. On Organized Crimes and International Crimes. Unpublished.

Information Office of the State Council. Criminal

Reform in China. Beijing, China. 1992. Kang Shuhua, et. al., Introduction to Criminology. (Beijing University), 1992.

Lei Yu, eds., The Public Security Work of The Contemporary China, (Beijing: The Contemporary China Press), 1992.

Li Junren. Studies on Recidivism of China. (Law Publishing House), 1992.

Li Shiying, et.al., Procuratorial Systems of Contemporary. (The Chinese Social Science Publishing House), 1988.

Li Xingjian. Studies on Structure of Criminal Procedure. (China University of Politics and Law), 1992.

Lu Mingjian. A Course in Justice System of China. (People’s Court), 1991.

Ministry of Justice, Introduction to The Ministry of Justice of The People’s Republic of China. (Beijing: Ministry of Justice), 1990.

Ministry of Public Security, Thirty Seven Years of The Public Security Work In the People’s Republic Of China. (Beijing: Ministry of Public Security), 1987.

The Criminal Law and the Criminal Procedure Law of The People’s Republic of China, (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press), 1984.

The Supreme People’s Court, Handbook of Criminal Justice. (Beijing: The Supreme People’s Court), 1986.

The Supreme People’s Court, The People’s Courts In The People’s Republic of China. (Beijing: The Supreme People’s Court), 1991. Wang Huaian, et.al., The Corpus of Laws and Regulations of The People’s Republic of China. (Jilin People’s Publishing House), 1988.

Wang Fang, et.al., Public Security Works of Contemporary China. Publishing House of Contemporary China), 1992.

Xu Zhangrun, Science of Prison. (Chinese People’s Public Security University), 1991.

Yang Chunxi, et.al., Encyclopedia of Criminal Sciences. (Nanjing University), 1990.

Jianan Guo
Associate Professor
Institute for Crime Prevention
Ministry of Justice
Beijing 100016
P.R. China

Guo Xiang
Professor and Director
Institute of Legal Sociology
and Juvenile Delinquency
China University of Politics and Law
41 Xue Yuan Road
Beijing 100088
China
Tel: 2015577 Ext.2310/2902

Wu Zongxian
Associate Professor
Institute of Crime Prevention
and Reform Through Labour
Ministry of Justice of China
441 Xue Yuan Road
Beijing 100088
China
Tel: 2015577-3024

Xu Zhangrun
Associate Professor
Department of Law
China University of Politics and Law
41 Xue Yuan Road
Beijing 100088
China

Peng Xiaohui
Lecturer
China University of Politics and Law
41 Xue Yuan Road
Beijing 100088
China

Li Shuangshuang
Lecturer
China University of Politics and Law
41 Xue Yuan Road
Beijing 100088
China



{Juni 30, 2009}   homework

TUGAS AKHIR UNTUK MK. PERBANDINGAN SISTEM PERADILAN PIDANA

PETUNJUK :

1. Jelaskan beberapa pertanyaan atau pernyataan berikut, disertai dengan rujukan buku atau suber yang dapat dipertanggungjawabkan (model footnote/catatan kaki);
2. Tugas ini merupakan pemenuhan tugas akhir yang nilainya merangkumi 50% dari keseluruhan proses kegiatan MK ini;
3. setiap mahasiswa tidak boleh mengkopi/copy paste dari teman yang lain, meskipun tidak menutup peluang untuk mendiskusikan tugas ini bersama dengan teman yang lain, (jawaban tidak boleh menggunakan bahasa yang sama persis)
4. Jawaban dalam bentuk soft copy dikirim ke email saya ini, paling lambat : 15 Juli 2009. = mnajihukm@gmail.com

TUGAS YANG PERLU DIJELASKAN
A. Sistem peradilan pidana dibentuk untuk menangani dan menanggulangi kejahatan di masyarakat; mengapa negara perlu membentuk sistem peradilan pidana? Apakah ada hubungan antara sistem peradilan pidana dengan tujuan negara? (poin 20%)
B. Apakah sistem peradilan pidana merupakan satu satunya cara untuk menanggulangi kejahatan? Dan jelaskan ada berapa pendekatan yang ada`dalam sistem peradilan pidana yang dipakai atau berlaku di dunia, (dalam sekala besarnya sahaja) (point 20%);
C. Apakah yang saudara ketahui tentang mafia peradilan? Mengapa dalam sistem peradilan pidana terjadi juga mafia peradilan ? (point 30%), sebagaimana dikemukakan oleh Transparency Internasional 2007-2009 bahwa beberapa elemen Sistem Peradilan Pidana Indonesia termasuk diantara lembaga yang masih tinggi tingkat penyalahgunaannya (mafia peradilannya); apakah yang paling diperlukan untuk menghapauskan kesan atau gejala mafia peradilan itu ?
D. Berikan pandangan saudara kaitannya dengan pemahaman bahan-bahan yang menjadi tugas kelompok (secara keseluruhan/bukan pertkelompok) mengenai review bahan literatur mengenai perbandingan SPP dari enam negara tersebut?? Apa yang penting dan mempunyai kelebihan di enam negara` tersebut dari elemen elemen SPP-nya, jelaksan !!! (poin 20%)
E. Dan bagaimana pemahaman saudara mengenai sistem peradilan pidana di Cina ? (dari bahan yang saya lampirkan juga dalam email ini), jelaksan ! (poin 10%)

Selamat mengerjakan, sukses selalu.

WORLD FACTBOOK OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS

China

by

Jianan Guo
Ministry of Justice

Guo Xiang
China University of Politics and Law

Wu Zongxian
Ministry of Justice of China

Xu Zhangrun
University of Politics and Law

Peng Xiaohui
China University of Politics and Law

Li Shuangshuang
China University of Politics and Law

This country report is one of many prepared for the World Factbook of Criminal Justice Systems under Grant No. 90-BJ-CX-0002 from the Bureau of Justice Statistics to the State University of New York at Albany. The project director for the World Factbook of Criminal Justice was Graeme R. Newman, but responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained in each report is that of the individual author. The contents of these reports do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Bureau of Justice Statistics or the U.S. Department of Justice.

GENERAL OVERVIEW

1. Political System.

China is a unitary, multi-national socialist country with 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under authority of the central government. There are also cities and autonomous prefectures operating directly under these provincial and autonomous regional governments, which totaled 458 in 1991. Under these cities and autonomous prefectures are county and city districts, which totaled 1,904 in 1991. China’s criminal justice system consists of police, procurates, courts and correctional institutions. At the central level, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice administer China’s police and correctional institutions, respectively. The Supreme People’s Court is the highest judicial branch in the country. The Supreme People’s Procurate is the highest state branch of legal supervision, with prosecution as its main function. The police departments or bureaus, the justice departments or bureaus, procurates and courts at various levels are established to fulfill their respective duties in their own jurisdictions.

2. Legal System.

The legal system of the People’s Republic of China is typically Marxist. As declared under the first article of the Criminal Law, Marxist – Leninist – Mao Zedong Thought are the guiding principles of the present law. The legislators in the People’s Republic of China view laws, especially criminal laws, as the tool of the ruling class (synonymous with the state), to be used as a coercive force to repress the ruled. The criminal law represents the interests of the ruling class, which defines certain acts as crime. In judicial activities, public security branches, people’s procurates and people’s courts have a division of labor with separate responsibilities and checks and balances to guarantee the accurate and effective enforcement of the law. The public security branches are responsible for the investigation, detention, and preparatory examination of criminal cases. The people’s procurates are responsible for approving arrest, conducting procuratorial work (including investigation) and initiating public prosecution. The people’s courts are responsible for adjudication. The prison or other places of reform through labor are responsible for sentence execution. No other branch, organization, or individual has the right to exercise their powers. An informal justice system, the People’s Mediation of Disputes, does play a significant part in the justice system. However, only criminal cases of private prosecution can be settled through mediation in the court.

3. History of Criminal Justice System.

Historically, each dynasty in China had their own written statutes and customary laws comprising their criminal law. Famous ancient criminal statutes include the Yuxing criminal laws of the Xia Dynasty, the Tandxing criminal laws of the Shang Dynasty, the Jiuxing criminal laws of the Zhou Dynasty, the Qinlu laws of the Qing Dynasty, the Hanlu laws of the Han Dynasty, the Tanglu laws of the Tang Dynasty, the Daminglu criminal code of the Ming Dynasty, and the Daqing luli criminal code of the Qing Dynasty. The common characteristic among these dynasties was that their criminal justice systems were operated by administrative officials. With the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, a new political era was born in China’s 5,000 year history. When the Communist Party came into power for the first time in China, one of its first priorities was to abolish the laws enacted by the old government and replace them with new ones. Upon invalidating the 6 laws of the Kuomintang regime in February, 1949 (e.g. Constitution, Civil Law, Commercial Law, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure Law, and Criminal Procedure Law), the new government began to construct a socialist legal system. In 1954, the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China was adopted at the National People’s Congress, the highest legislative body of the country. That same year, legislation on Reform Through Labor of the People’s Republic of China was adopted and in 1957, legislation on Police of the People’s Republic of China was adopted.

Meanwhile, drafts of new laws such as Criminal Law, Civil Law, Criminal Procedure Law, and Civil Procedure Law were prepared and continually revised. The “Cultural Revolution” initiated in 1966 broke off the course of legal construction in China. Twelve years later, the Third Plenary
Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party held in December, 1978,
decided to end the “Cultural Revolution” campaign and put great emphasis on the institutionalization and legislation of the socialist democracy and on the stability, continuity and authority of law.

Thereafter, legal reconstruction began in China. After the draft was revised more than 30 times, the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China was finally adopted at the 2nd session of the 5th National People’s Congress in July, 1979. The Criminal Procedure Law of the People’s Republic of China was also adopted at the same session in 1979.
It took 30 years for the People’s Republic of China to enact its first laws. Until 1979 there were no legal standards to guide judges to try criminals. As a supplement to the Criminal Law, a special law called The Interim Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Concerning the Punishment of Servicemen in Violation of their Duty, and 12 other amendments to the Criminal Law have been adopted by National People’s Congress. In 1982, amendments to the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China were adopted and in 1990, the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress Regarding the Prohibition of Drugs was established.

CRIME

1. Classification of Crimes.

* Legal classification. In the Criminal Law, crimes are classified into eight categories according to the object of the crime: 1) crimes of counterrevolution, which are crimes endangering the People’s Republic of China such as treason, espionage, and mass rebellion; 2) crimes of endangering public security, which are crimes endangering the life and wealth of many people, as
well as the security of public and private property, such as arson, breach dikes, explosions, spreading poison, causing traffic accidents, illegal manufacturing, trading in or transporting guns or ammunition, and causing major productive accidents; 3) crimes of undermining the socialist economic order, which includes smuggling, speculation, falsely passing off trade marks, and illegally chopping down trees; 4) crimes of infringing upon the right of the person and the democratic rights of citizens, such as homicide, bodily injury, rape, forcing women into prostitution, abducting and selling people, unlawful detention of another person, unlawful intrusion into another person’s residence, falsely accusing and framing, defamation, insult and humiliation, giving false evidence or testimony, and using torture to coerce a statement; 5) crimes
of property violation, such as robbery, stealing, swindling, corruption, and extortion by blackmail;
6) crimes of disrupting social order, such as disrupting public affairs, official documents, certificates or seals, harboring criminals, concealing stolen goods, hooligan activities, and gambling; 7) crimes of disrupting marriage and the family, such as bigamy, abuse of a family member, abandonment, and abducting a child; and 8) crimes of dereliction of duty, such as bribery and subjecting imprisoned persons to corporal punishment and abuse. In addition, Criminal Procedure Law categorizes crimes into Crimes of Public Prosecution and Crimes of Private Prosecution.

* Age of criminal responsibility. The age of criminal responsibility is 16. However, a person between the ages of 14 and 16 who commits homicide, infliction of serious bodily injury, robbery, arson, habitual theft, or any other crime which seriously undermines the social order bears full criminal responsibility. Under this circumstance, the severity of the punishment is lighter or mitigated. The death penalty is not allowed to be imposed on a person under the age of
18. When a person is not punished because he or she is under 16 years-old, the head of the family
or guardian is ordered to subject the person to discipline. When necessary, the person may also be given shelter and rehabilitation by the government.

* Drug offenses. Drug offenses as defined in the Criminal Law include the manufacturing, selling and transportation of drugs. Heroin and opium are the most prevalent drugs that are sold. Using drugs is not a criminal offense. As an amendment to the Criminal Law, the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on the Strict Prohibition Against Narcotic Drugs includes holding drugs (possession) or taking actions to lure, instigate, deceive and/or force others to use drugs as among drug-related crimes.
2. Crime Statistics.

Until 1986, crime statistics had not been disclosed to the public. In 1987, the Ministry of Public Security presented the first group of crime statistics data in the China Law Yearbook of 1987. The data included statistics from 1981 to 1986 and was compiled by the China Law Society, which has thereafter published updates of criminal justice data every year. The data presented by the Ministry included the number of crimes recorded by the police, the rates of recorded crime and the number of arrests made by the police. The following data are from the Chinese Law yearbook (1991, 1992). The offenses are based on administrative definitions used by the public security branches.

* Murder. There were 23,199 murders recorded by the police in 1991 (The number of murders recorded by police in previous years are as follows: 21,214 (1990); 19,590 (1989); 15,959 (1988); 13,154 (1987); 1,510 (1986); 10,440 (1985); 9,021 (1984); 10,353 (1983); 9,324 (1982); and 9,576 (1981)). Attempts are included.

* Rape. There were 50,331 cases of rape recorded by the police in 1991 (The number of rape cases reported by police in previous years are as follows: 47,782 (1990); 40,909 (1989); 34,120 (1988); 37,225 (1987); 39,121 (1986); 37,712 (1985); 44,630 (1984); 57,914 (1983); 35,361 (1982); and 30,808 (1981)). Attempts are included.

* Theft. There were 1,922,506 cases of larceny recorded by police in 1991 (The number of larceny cases recorded by police in previous years are as follows: 1,860,793 (1990); 1,673,222 (1989); 658,683 (1988); 435,235 (1987); 425,845 (1986); 431,323 (1985); 395,319 (1984); 571,255 (1983); 609,481 (1982); and 744,376 (1981)). Attempts are included.

* Drug offenses. There were 8,344 drug offense cases recorded by the police in 1991, at a rate of .70 per 100,000 population. Attempts are not included.

* Crime regions. The crime rate is much higher in the South East Coastal provinces which is a more open, economically prosperous and densely populated area. Most drug offenders are from the Yunnan Province and Guangxi Autonomous Region in South West China. Both areas are close to the Golden Triangle Area, one of the most notable drug sources in the world. Generally, the overall crime rate in cities is much higher than the rural areas. The crimes of abducting women and children are higher in the rural areas of Sichuan Province, Henan Province, Shandong Province than other rural provinces. Also coastal areas, such as the Guangdong Province, Fujian Province, Zhejiang Province and Shenzhen Special District, have higher crime rates than landlocked areas.

VICTIMS

1. Groups Most Victimized by Crime.

The first victimization survey is presently being planned with technical and financial assistance from the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute.

2. Victims’ Assistance Agencies.

China has not established victims’ assistance agencies, but some organizations for youth and women have provided economic and legal aid and psychological counseling. Also, some mental health departments as well as psychologists, psychiatrists, and sociologists have established mental clinics or hot-line telephones for psychological counseling. In addition, criminal law stipulates, “Where the victim has suffered economic loss as a result of a criminal act, the criminal element, in addition to receiving criminal sanction according to law, shall in accordance with the circumstances be sentenced to make compensation for the criminal loss.”

3. Role of Victim in Prosecution and Sentencing.
Victims of crime have the right to bring a complaint and the right to give evidence. They also have the right to claim economic compensation, through a supplementary civil action. A victim can bring a charge against a criminal in private prosecution cases and intervene in the court as a third party in public prosecution cases. If the victim does not agree with judgments or orders of the court, he or she has the right to appeal to a higher court in private prosecution cases or may petition the court or the procurate in the public prosecution cases.

4. Victims’ Rights Legislation.

China has not passed any special victim’s comprehensive legislation.

POLICE

1. Administration.

In the People’s Republic of China, the police agencies include the Ministry of Public Security at the central level, the local public security bureaus at various levels and public security forces for railways, highways, navigation, air transport, forests and other fields. The organizational structure from top to bottom is: Ministry of Public Security, Provincial Public Security Departments/Bureaus, Prefectural Public Security Departments/Bureaus, County Public Security Bureaus, Local Police Stations. In addition, the Public Security Offices of Ministry of Railways and Public Security Offices of Ministry of Communications also fall under the authority of the Ministry of Public Security. The Ministry of Public Security, which operates under the State Council, is the highest police agency in the country. Local public security agencies are responsible for the public security in their respective localities under the dual leadership of local government and higher public agencies. The public security forces for railways, highways, navigation, air transport, forests and other special fields are under the administrative leadership of their respective ministries or departments and the profesional leadership of higher public security agencies. They cooperate closely with the local public security agencies.

The Chinese People’s Armed Police is a part of the armed forces in the country, a component of the public security force and a branch of the People’s police under the leadership of The Central Military Commission and the Ministry of Public Security. The local armed police are under the leadership of the local public security agencies and higher organizations of the armed police. Their principal duties include inner guard, frontier control and inspection, exit and entry control, as well as fire-fighting.

2. Resources.

* Expenditures. Information not available.

* Number of police. In 1991, there were a total of 1,484,000 police officers, of which 825,000 were people’s policemen and 659,000 were armed policemen.

3. Technology.

* Availability of police automobiles. On the average, every police station with at least 7 or 8 policemen has one car. The higher the number of policemen in the agency, the higher the number of cars. Most police automobiles are made in China.

* Electronic equipment. The Science and Technology Bureau, operating under the Ministry of Public Security, is in charge of national scientific and technical administration that is related to the public security. Computers are extensively used in criminal investigation, traffic control and communication. A fingerprint
search system was computerized in 1986. In 1987, a special police communication network linking all the police agencies at the county level and above was established. A radio communication network at provincial level was also established in the 1980s.

* Weapons. Police weapons include the baton, police rope, handcuffs, tear-gas, grenades, pistols, and semi-automatic rifles. Although bulletproof vests are available to police, information on the police to vest ratio is unavailable.

4. Training and Qualifications.

Most police officers graduate from the police universities of the country or the police academies of provinces. Under special circumstances, police agencies can also recruit new staff from individuals who do not have a diploma of police universities or schools. It is required, however, for an applicant to be a graduate of senior high school or university, be under the age of 25, and have a strong physique. There are different levels of training institutions. The colleges or academies which are run by the Ministry of Public Security train the directors of public security (or bureaus) of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.
The colleges and schools at the level of province, autonomous region and municipality, train the directors of county public security bureaus, the leaders of the public security branch bureaus in the municipalities and the leader’s subordinates, such as section chiefs and squad heads. Schools attached to the prefectures and municipalities under the provincial government train section chiefs, station leaders, squad heads and other police officers. Training periods last for an average of six months and vary for different trainees.

5. Discretion.

* Use of force. The criminal police carry pistols, batons, and handcuffs when performing their duties. They are permitted to use guns to stop a crime or defend themselves. Specifically, they can use deadly force as a last resort to stop situations where 1) the offender tries to resist or escape apprehension, steals weapons carried by police, or attacks police officers while being arrested or detained; (2) the offender is in the process of committing a violent crime and putting citizens’ lives in danger; (3) the offender is attacking an object under guard by the police; (4) a group of offenders raid a prison and/or prisoners are escaping, rioting, murdering, or stealing guns from security officers; or (5) the offender physically threatens the life of a police officer. Before using their pistols, they must issue an oral warning or fire a warning shot. Only when these warnings do not affect the criminal behavior, can police fire the pistol.

* Stop/apprehend a suspect. Under the following circumstances, the police can detain an individual who, depending on the nature of the crime, has become a major suspect and/or should be arrested: (1) the person is preparing to commit a crime, is committing a crime or is discovered immediately after committing a crime; (2) the person is identified as having committed a crime by a victim or eyewitness; (3) the person is discovered to have criminal evidence on his person or at his residence; (4) the person attempts to commit suicide, to escape or becomes a fugitive after committing the crime; (5) the person has the opportunity to destroy or falsify evidence or collude with others to devise a false account of events; (6) the person’s true identity is unknown and is suspected of committing crimes in several geographic areas; or (7) the person is “beating, smashing and looting” and undermining work, production or the social order.

* Decision to arrest. The police can arrest a suspect with a warrant issued by the Chief Prosecutor.

* Search and seizure. The police may conduct searches of the persons, articles, residences and other relevant places of defendants for the purpose of gathering criminal evidence and apprehending criminals. They may also search people believed to be hiding criminals or criminal evidence. Before conducting such a search, officers must show a search warrant to the person to be searched. A search may be conducted without a search warrant if an emergency arises during the arrest or detention process. The suspect, family
members, neighbors or other eyewitness are usually present during the search. If articles or documents are discovered that can be used to prove guilt or innocence, they are usually examined by eyewitnesses and/or the person being searched. After the search, an inventory of the seized items is made in duplicate with one copy given to the person who was searched.

* Confessions. According to the Criminal Procedure Law, it is prohibited to use torture to coerce confessions or gather evidence through threats, enticement, deceit or other unlawful methods. Interrogation of the defendant must be conducted by the investigation personnel of the people’s procuratorates or the public security branches. No fewer than 2 investigation personnel may be present during interrogation. When interrogating a defendant, investigation personnel shall first ask the defendant whether he or she engaged in a criminal act and then let the defendant state the circumstances of guilt or innocence. The defendant must answer the investigation personnel’s questions according to the facts, but has the right to refuse to answer questions that have no relation to the case. A person who is proficient in sign language must participate in the interrogation of a deaf or mute defendant, and a clear transcript is to be made of such circumstances.

6. Accountability.

Complaints against police misbehavior are handled by the supervisory bureau or sections within the Ministry of Public Security or lower public security branches. Any citizen may prosecute the illegal behavior of police officers and bring the case to a people’s procurate or a people’s court, and can initiate petition to the higher public security branch. The criminal law stipulates, “…the use of torture to coerce a statement is strictly prohibited. State personnel who inflict torture on an offender to coerce a statement are to be sentenced to not more than 3 years of fixed-term imprisonment or criminal detention. Whoever causes a person’s injury or disability through corporal punishment is to be handled under the crime of injury and given a heavier punishment.” (Article 136).

PROSECUTORIAL AND JUDICIAL PROCESS

1. Rights of the Accused.

* Rights of the accused. In addition to exercising the right to defend themselves, defendants may also authorize the following people to defend them: a) lawyers; b) citizens recommended by a people’s organization or the defender’s unit, or who are authorized by the people’s court; or c) close relatives or guardians of the defendant. The accused also has the right of knowing the nature of the accusation, the right to participate in proceedings in his or her native spoken and written language, to apply for new expert evaluation or inspection during the courtroom hearing, the right to request the chief judge to ask certain questions to witnesses or else ask them directly, the right to make a final statement after the chief judge has announced the closing of the debate, the right to raise a counterclaim against the private prosecutor in a case of private prosecution and the right to request that members of the judicial panel, the court clerk, the public prosecutor, expert witness or interpreters withdraw from the case.

The accused also has the right to appeal and the right to petition judgments or orders, which have become legally effective, to the people’s courts or the people’s procurates In cases where the public prosecutor appears in court to bring a public prosecution and the defendant has not authorized anyone to be his or her defender, the people’s court may designate a defender. If the defendant is deaf, mute, or a minor and has not authorized a defender, the people’s court designates a defender. The defender presents materials and opinions demonstrating the innocence of the defendant. He or she can also argue that the crime was minor or that the defendant should receive mitigated punishment or be exempted from criminal responsibility, safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of the defendant. During the adjudication process, the defendant may refuse to have a defender continue and authorize another defender instead.

* Assistance to the accused. An accused is entitled to call upon the assistance of a defense lawyer of his or her own choice. In public prosecution cases, the court will designate a defense attorney if the defendant has not already authorized an attorney for his or her defense.

2. Procedures.

* Preparatory procedures for bringing the suspect to trial. After a suspect is arrested, family or living partners are notified within 24 hours along with the reasons for his arrest and the place of custody. Notification does not occur in cases where it would hinder the investigation or the parties are not able to be reached. After the police investigate an offense, they draft an opinion which either recommends prosecution or exemption from prosecution. They then transfer the opinion, case file materials, and evidence to the procurate at the same level for review. The procurate then reviews the case and makes a decision on whether to prosecute the suspect.
If a decision is made to prosecute the suspect, the procurate then initiates a public prosecution in the court at the same level. The court will review the case prosecuted by the procurate. If the facts of the case are clear and the evidence is sufficient, the court can decide to open the court session for adjudication, in which the suspect is formally brought to trial. The procurate can also grant exemption from prosecution for certain minor crimes.

* Official who conducts prosecution. A member of the People’s Procurate, an independent branch of the criminal justice system, conducts the prosecution of the accused.

* Alternatives to going to trial. Information not available.

* Proportion of prosecuted cases going to trial. Data indicate that 83% of the prosecuted cases went to trial in 1991. In that year, the procurate granted exemption to 48,180 cases which were recommended for prosecution by the police.

* Pre-trial incarceration conditions. Police must conduct an interrogation of the detained person within 24 hours of being held in custody. If there are no grounds found for detention, the detained person must be released immediately. If the police consider it necessary to arrest a detained person, they can request the prosecutor to issue a warrant within three days after detention. The prosecutor must make the decision to approve or disapprove this arrest within three days. If the prosecutor does not approve the arrest, the police are required to release the detained person immediately after receiving notice.
The period for holding an arrestee in custody during investigation may not exceed two months. This period can be extended for one month in cases with complex circumstances, where the case cannot be concluded before the two months is over. The severity of crime and the dangerousness
of the suspect are key considerations when deciding whether a suspect should be incarcerated before or while awaiting trial. If a suspect is considered a threat to the community or the crime carries a prison sentence the suspect is usually put in jail to await trial.

* Bail procedure. Defendants are allowed to obtain a guarantor and await trial out of custody or to live at home under surveillance. Defendants living at home under surveillance are not allowed
to leave their home. Defendants for whom there is a lack of evidence for the case, or who are women and are pregnant or nursing their own baby, or who are suffering from a grave illness, are among those persons allowed to obtain a guarantor.

* Proportion of pre-trial offenders incarcerated. The annual number of prisoners awaiting trial is about 400,000.

JUDICIAL SYSTEM

1. Administration.

There are four levels of courts used to adjudicate criminal cases, from highest to lowest: the Supreme People’s Court, the Higher People’s Courts, the Intermediate People’s Courts and the Primary People’s Courts.

Supreme People’s Court. At the central level, this court is the highest judicial branch of the state. It handles major criminal cases that have national importance, and appeals or protests brought against the judgments and orders of the Higher People’s Court and the People’s Military Court. Cases of protest brought by the Supreme People’s Procurate in accordance with the procedures of judicial supervision are also heard. In addition, the Court supervises the administration of justice by lower courts at different levels, such as the Higher People’s Courts and the several military courts in operation (e.g. Military Courts of Greater Areas and ifferent Arms and Services; Primary Military Courts).

Higher People’s Courts. These courts are set up in the different provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. As of 1991, there were 31 Higher People’s Courts in the country. These courts handle cases of first instance, cases that are transferred from people’s courts at lower levels, cases of appeals and protests brought against judgments and orders of the Intermediate People’s Courts, and cases of protests brought by people’s procurates in accordance with the procedures of judicial supervision. It also supervises the administration of justice by lower courts. The Maritime Courts, Intermediate Railway Transport Courts, and Primary Railway Transport Courts all operate under the authority of the Higher People’sCourts.

Intermediate Courts. Intermediate courts are established in the prefectures, cities and autonomous prefectures within the jurisdiction of provinces and municipalities. As of 1991, there were 377 Intermediate People’s Courts in the country.

These courts handle cases of first instance, cases that are transferred from the Primary People’s Courts, appeals and protests brought against judgments and orders of the Primary People’s Courts and cases of protests lodged by the people’s procurates in accordance with the procedures of judicial supervision. They also supervise the administration of justice by the Primary People’s Courts.

Primary People’s Courts. The Primary People’s Courts are established in counties, autonomous counties, cities (at country level) and municipal districts. As of 1991, there were 3,057 Primary People’s Courts. These courts handle all criminal cases, except those that fall within the jurisdiction of the higher level courts.

2. Special Courts.

The Primary People’s Court may set up a certain number of people’s tribunals in the area under its jurisdiction, depending on the local conditions, population size and crime rate. A people’s tribunal is a component of the Primary People’s Court. Its sentences and orders carry the same impact and meaning as those of the Primary People’s Courts. As of 1991, there were 3,150 people’s tribunals.

3. Judges.

* Number of judges. As of 1991, there were 138,459 judges, among whom 119,966 were male, 18,493 were female; 126,450 were Han (ethnic Chinese) and 12,009 were from various minorities. In 1991, there were 3,312 presidents of the people’s courts at various levels, of which there were 73 female presidents and 545 minority nationality presidents. There were 45,311 presidents of chambers, of which there were 2,572 female and 3,831 minority nationality presidents.

* Appointments and Qualifications. The president of the Supreme People’s Court is elected by the National People’s Congress. The vice-presidents, presidents and vice-presidents of the chambers, and judges of the Supreme People’s Court are appointed or removed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. The presidents of local people’s courts are elected by the local people’s congress at different levels. Citizens who have reached the age of 23 and have the right to vote and the right to be elected may be elected as the presidents of the people’s courts or appointed as the vice-presidents and presidents of the chambers, or appointed judges of people’s courts. Persons who have been deprived of their political rights are excluded. Judges, at various levels, must be graduates of higher or secondary legal schools, or have received special legal training, mastered professional legal knowledge, or had practical experiences. China has established the National Sparetime University of Judges and training centers for the training of judges. At the end of 1991, these centers had produced more than 35,000 graduates and had enrollments of more than 50,000 students. In addition, the Supreme People’s Court established the Chinese Training Center for Senior judges.

PENALTIES AND SENTENCING

1. Sentencing Process.

* Who determines the sentence? Except in cases under private prosecution, all cases of first instance are tried by a collegial panel which consists of one judge and two people’s representatives, who decide the guilt of the defendant and the sentence to be imposed if the defendant is found guilty. Adjudication of cases in the first instance in the high people’s courts or the Supreme People’s Court are conducted by a collegial panel composed of 1 to 3 judges and 2 to 4 people’s assessors. In carrying out their duties in the people’s courts, people’s assessor have equal rights as judges. Adjudication of appealed and protested cases in the people’s courts is conducted by a collegial panel composed of 3 to 5 judges.

* Is there a special sentencing hearing? Information not available.

* Which persons have input into the sentencing process? When deciding the punishment of a criminal, the collegial panel imposes the sentence based on the facts of the crime, the nature and circumstances of the crime, and the degree of harm done to society, in accordance with the relevant stipulations of the criminal law. All property illegally obtained by the criminal is to be recovered. The criminal is then ordered to make restitution or pay compensation for them.

Contraband and the criminal’s own articles of property used for committing the crime are confiscated. When the collegial panel is deciding the sentence, if opinions diverge, the minority defers to the majority, although the opinion of the minority is still entered into the transcript. All major or difficult cases, where the president of the court considers it necessary to submit the matter to the adjudication committee for discussion, are to be submitted by the president of the court to the adjudication committee for discussion and decision. The collegial panel carries out the decisions of the adjudication committee.

2. Types of Penalties.

* Range of penalties. There are 5 types of principal penalties and 3 kinds of accessory penalties provided in the criminal law. Principal penalties include: 1) Guanzhi (control); 2) Juyi (criminal detention; 3) fixed-term imprisonment; 4) life imprisonment; and 5) the death penalty. Guanzhi is imposed for minor offenses. The offender usually continues to work in his or her place of employment and continues to receive normal wages, while undergoing the supervision of public security agents. The offender is required to make periodic reports of his or her circumstances. This penalty can be set for a period of 3 months to 2 years. Juyi is also imposed for minor offenses. The offender is deprived of freedom and confined in a detention house, rather than a prison institution. The offender may go home 1 or 2 days each month and be paid for work. This penalty can be set for a period of 15 days to 6 months. Fixed-term imprisonment periods can be set between 6 months to 15 years. However, the sentence may reach 20 years when combined with other penalties. Accessory penalties include: fine, deprivation of political rights and confiscation of property. The supplementary punishments can also be applied independently.

* Death penalty. Under criminal law, the death penalty is reserved for serious crimes such as murder, rape and serious property crimes. However, it cannot be imposed on juveniles under the age of 18 or women who are pregnant at the time of adjudication. Persons between 16 and 18 years-old may be sentenced to death if the crime is particularly heinous. However, they are also given a two-year suspension of execution period. If a criminal is sentenced to death, but immediate execution is not essential, a two-year suspension of execution may be announced at the
same time the sentence is imposed, followed by the carrying out of reform-through-labor activities. If the offender repents and demonstrates meritorious service upon the expiration of the two-year period, his or her sentence may be reduced to fixed imprisonment between 15 and 20 years. If there is evidence that the offender resisted reform in an odious manner, the death penalty is to be executed upon the order or approval of the Supreme People’s Court. The method of execution is by shooting.

PRISON

1. Description.

* Number of prisons and type. Prisons are commonly called, reform-through-labor organs or labor reform institutions. There are mainly 5 types of incarcerative institutions: 1)prisons; 2) reform-through-labor institutions, in which criminals are sentenced to a minimum of 1 year fixed-term imprisonment; 3) reform house of juvenile delinquents; 4) Juyi house (criminal detention house), which houses offenders sentenced to criminal detention; and the 5) Kanshou house (detention house), which houses offenders awaiting trial. As of 1991, there were 684 prison institutions including Reform-Through-Labor Teams and Juvenile Reformatories.

* Number of prison beds. Information not available

* Average daily population/number of prisoners. In 1991, the daily average correctional institution population was 1,206,975, of whom 97.85% were male and 2.15% were female. In terms of ethnicity, 91.59% were Hans and 8.41% were minorities.

* Number of annual admissions. In 1991, the number of admissions was estimated at 300,000.

* Actual or estimated proportions of inmates incarcerated. The actual percentage of inmates incarcerated for various crimes are the following: Drug Crimes .8%, Violent Crimes 34.4%,
Property Crimes 60.6%; Other 4.2%.

2. Administration.

* Administration. The prison system is composed of the Reform-Through-Labor Administration (which operates under the authority of the Ministry of Justice), the Reform-Through-Labor Bureau (operating under authority of the Justice Offices (bureau) of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities), and various prisons. Prison administration generally involves addressing the following activities: vocational guidance of national reform through labor work; controlling the nation-wide implementation of reform through labor policies; inspecting work quality of inmates; facilitating the sharing of work experiences between inmates; studying and drafting the regulations concerning prison administration and other related regulations and supervising their implementation; organizing and guiding the prison bureau of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities formulating the plans and measures of reforming criminals; organizing the compiling of material for educating criminals; assisting the departments concerned in arranging for the placement of those released from prisons; and providing vocational training to correctional officers.
Correctional institutions include prisons, Reform Through Labor Teams and Juvenile Reformatories. The Reform Through Labor Bureaus are in charge of reform through labor work and exercise direct leadership over various prisons in their own jurisdictions. Those incarcerated in prisons are: offenders given death sentences with a two-year suspension, offenders sentenced to life imprisonment, offenders who must serve at least 10 years in prison before release, foreign offenders and female offenders. The rest of the offenders given incarcerative sentences are held in the Reform-Through-Labor Teams. Juvenile Reformatories provide special correctional services to juvenile delinquents.

* Prison guards. As of 1991, there were nearly 200,000 uniformed prison officers, whom are alled cadres.

* Training and qualifications. Most correctional officers are graduates of correctional academies or are prior military men. There are two levels of training institutions. The Central Administrative Cadres of College for Reform-Through-Labor and Reeducation Through Labor, located in Baoding, Hebei Province, exists at the central level as an advanced training institute for senior officers such as wardens. Correctional schools at the provincial level train the other correctional officers.

* Expenditure on the prison system. Information not available.

3. Prison conditions.

* Remissions. Under law, prisoners can have sentences reduced for good behavior or be released on parole. Parole is granted to prisoners who have served more than half of their sentences and who show improvement in their behavior and/or attitude. In 1990, 16.3% of all offenders serving
a sentence had their sentence reduced or were released on parole. This figure increased to 8.35% in 1991.

* Work/education. Prison conditions generally correspond to living conditions in Chinese communities. Under Chinese law, all inmates who are able to work must do so, but inmates who are unable to work because they are old, ill or otherwise unfit to work do not participate in work. In 1990, about 10% of the prison population did not participate in work activities. Prisons provide both educational and vocational programs. In fact, prisoners have the right to make reasonable suggestions concerning management, educational programs, production, recreational activities, or sanitary conditions of their institution. Since 1981, the Chinese government has included education of criminals in its national education program. Where conditions permit, special educational institutions are set up for formal and institutionalized legal, moral, cultural, and technical education of prisoners.

By the end of 1991, 72.82% of all prison and reform-through-labor branches had established such special schools. The school has a dean, teachers’ office, and a teaching program and curriculum prepared each term, each year. Prisoners study about 2 hours a day. Teaching staff are especially selected for the school; some are chosen from among the prisoners with a higher education level. Prisoners who have attended classes and pass exams given by the local educational department are given educational certificates equivalent to those issued by outside educational institutions. By the end of 1991, over 12,000 classes of various kinds were being offered in prisons and reform-through-labor branches. Over 518,000 prisoners attended the classes. 92.35% of those eligible to attend were admitted. There were 5,300 prisoners studying through classes offered in publications, correspondence colleges, part-time colleges and television college programs. Four thousand prisoners took higher education exams for self-study.

Vocational education is a major part of the education program. In 1991, over 561,000 prisoners took part in training courses for various skills, representing 83.18% of the total number of eligible prisoners. A total of 546,000 certificates for various levels of technical proficiency were issued to prisoners by societal labor departments.

* Amenities/privileges. The state guarantees material needs such as food, clothing, housing, etc. In addition, prisoners have the right to an appeal, the right to protection against assault on their human dignity or personal safety, the right to believe in a religion, certain civil rights, and the right to vote, unless they have been stripped of their political rights. Recreational, cultural, and sports activities are offered to create a positive atmosphere for change among the prisoners. Prisoners have the right to exchange letters with relatives and friends. Family members are encouraged to promote change in the prisoners. Prisoners are allowed regular visits from family members, no more than twice a month. However, special visits can be set up so that family members can advise troubled prisoners who are not progressing steadily toward reform. Prisoners can obtain medical treatment in prison or in community hospitals. Group therapy and counseling is also available. Prisoners have a general right to maintain good health. They enjoy free medical care and receive a regular medical check up once a year. There is a total of 2,944 medical institutions of various kinds in the prisons and reform-through-labor institutions. For every 1,000 prisoners, there are 3.54 medical doctors and 14.8 hospital beds available.

EXTRADITION AND TREATIES

* Extradition. China has not signed any bilateral or multilateral treaty concerning criminal extradition with any other country. China has acceded to 3 international conventions between 1978 and 1980. Under the Convention on Offenses and Certain Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft (1963), Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft (1970), and Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Civil Aviation (1971), criminals who make unlawful seizure of aircraft may be extradited to or from the countries or regions that acceded to the three conventions. For example, China extradited criminals who committed aircraft hijacking from Japan.
In 1984, China became a member state of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO).
Some criminals have been wanted for arrest by the ICPO.

* Exchange and transfer of prisoners. There have been several cases in which suspects were transferred from foreign countries to China through the diplomatic channels.

* Specified Conditions. Information not available

SOURCES

Cheng Guangzhong. Science of Criminal Procedure Law. (China University of Politics and Law), 1990.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1987. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1987.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1988. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1988.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1989. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1989.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1990. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1990.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1991. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1991.

China Law Society, China Law Yearbook 1992. (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1992.

Constitution of The People’s Republic Of China, (Beijing: Law Publishing House), 1982.

Gao Mingxuan, et.al., Science of Criminal Law. (The Law Publishing House), 1988.

Guo Xiang, et.al., Dictionary of Criminology. (Shanghai People’s Publishing House), 1989.

Guo Xiang, et.al. Situations of Crimes in China (1990-1992), Unpublished.

Guo, Xiang, et.al. On Organized Crimes and International Crimes. Unpublished.

Information Office of the State Council. Criminal

Reform in China. Beijing, China. 1992. Kang Shuhua, et. al., Introduction to Criminology. (Beijing University), 1992.

Lei Yu, eds., The Public Security Work of The Contemporary China, (Beijing: The Contemporary China Press), 1992.

Li Junren. Studies on Recidivism of China. (Law Publishing House), 1992.

Li Shiying, et.al., Procuratorial Systems of Contemporary. (The Chinese Social Science Publishing House), 1988.

Li Xingjian. Studies on Structure of Criminal Procedure. (China University of Politics and Law), 1992.

Lu Mingjian. A Course in Justice System of China. (People’s Court), 1991.

Ministry of Justice, Introduction to The Ministry of Justice of The People’s Republic of China. (Beijing: Ministry of Justice), 1990.

Ministry of Public Security, Thirty Seven Years of The Public Security Work In the People’s Republic Of China. (Beijing: Ministry of Public Security), 1987.

The Criminal Law and the Criminal Procedure Law of The People’s Republic of China, (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press), 1984.

The Supreme People’s Court, Handbook of Criminal Justice. (Beijing: The Supreme People’s Court), 1986.

The Supreme People’s Court, The People’s Courts In The People’s Republic of China. (Beijing: The Supreme People’s Court), 1991. Wang Huaian, et.al., The Corpus of Laws and Regulations of The People’s Republic of China. (Jilin People’s Publishing House), 1988.

Wang Fang, et.al., Public Security Works of Contemporary China. Publishing House of Contemporary China), 1992.

Xu Zhangrun, Science of Prison. (Chinese People’s Public Security University), 1991.

Yang Chunxi, et.al., Encyclopedia of Criminal Sciences. (Nanjing University), 1990.

Jianan Guo
Associate Professor
Institute for Crime Prevention
Ministry of Justice
Beijing 100016
P.R. China

Guo Xiang
Professor and Director
Institute of Legal Sociology
and Juvenile Delinquency
China University of Politics and Law
41 Xue Yuan Road
Beijing 100088
China
Tel: 2015577 Ext.2310/2902

Wu Zongxian
Associate Professor
Institute of Crime Prevention
and Reform Through Labour
Ministry of Justice of China
441 Xue Yuan Road
Beijing 100088
China
Tel: 2015577-3024

Xu Zhangrun
Associate Professor
Department of Law
China University of Politics and Law
41 Xue Yuan Road
Beijing 100088
China

Peng Xiaohui
Lecturer
China University of Politics and Law
41 Xue Yuan Road
Beijing 100088
China

Li Shuangshuang
Lecturer
China University of Politics and Law
41 Xue Yuan Road
Beijing 100088
China



{Mei 22, 2009}  

Revolusi syareah

Revolusi syareah Menurut ibnu Qayyim al-jawziyya (w. 751 / 1350) penganut mazhab Hanbali, dalam philosophy of jurisprudence in Islam, membuat apa yang diistilahkan suatu pernyataan revolusioner dalam mendefinisikan syareah : “Landasan syareah adalah kearifan sebagai pengawal perilaku manusia di dunia dan di akherat. Dan isi dari syareah itu adalah keadilan, kasih sayang dan kearifan. Setiap hukum yang bertujuan untuk memberikan keadilan menjadi kedzaliman, kasih sayang menjadi kebencian, kebaikan menjadi kejahatan, kekafiran menjadi kelaliman tidaklah termasuk sebagai syareah walaupun ketentuan itu dimasukkan sebagai penerapan syareah. Syareah adalag keadilan Tuhan dan kasih sayang sesame ummat-Nya, hidup, gizi, obat-obatan, cahaya, penyembuhan, kebajikan dibuat karena keadilan dan kasih sayang Tuhan. Apapun kebaikan yang ada berasal dari Tuhan dan setiap kekurangan berasal dari kehilangan dan lenyapnya keadilan dan kasih sayang Tuhan. Syareah yang dipercayakan Nabi Muhammad untuk menyampaikannya adalah sendi dan kunci sukses dan kebahagiaan di dunia dan di akherat”. Dan juga ditegaskan : “Tuhan telah mengutus Nabinya dan mewahyukan kitab-Nya, dengan demikian orang dapat menegakkan keadilan. Keadilan itu merupakan kebenaran yang terdapat padanya syurg dan hari kemudian. Ketika diputuskan untuk menegakkan suatu kebenaran yang didukung landasan dan menjadi jelas apa yang dimaksud bahwa kebenaran itulah hukum Tuhan, agama Tuhan, yang disetujui Tuhan dan perintah Tuhan. Dan Tuhan yang maha mulia memiliki sumber dan cara-cara menegakkan keadilan yang tidak terbatas dan petunjuk ada pada suatu cara dan tidak pada cara yang selain dari Tuhan, yang lebih jelas, lebih nyata, dan membuktikan sendiri. Kenyataannya, Tuhan memperlihatkan metodenya yang termuat dalam aturan-Nya bahwa tujuannya adalah menegakkan kebenaran dan keadilan dan kesederajatan manusia. Apapun bentuk dari suatu kebenaran merupakan keadilan telah dikenal, suatu kewajiban untuk menetapkan peraturan haaruslah ditetapkan berdasarkan keadilan. Metode dan cara-cara penegakan keadilan tidaklah didasarkan keinginan manusia tetapi didasari oleh tujuan hukum yaitu kemaslahatan. ” Menurut ibnu Qayyim al-jawziyya (w. 751 / 1350) penganut mazhab Hanbali, dalam philosophy of jurisprudence in Islam, membuat apa yang diistilahkan suatu pernyataan revolusioner dalam mendefinisikan syareah : “Landasan syareah adalah kearifan sebagai pengawal perilaku manusia di dunia dan di akherat. Dan isi dari syareah itu adalah keadilan, kasih sayang dan kearifan. Setiap hukum yang bertujuan untuk memberikan keadilan menjadi kedzaliman, kasih sayang menjadi kebencian, kebaikan menjadi kejahatan, kekafiran menjadi kelaliman tidaklah termasuk sebagai syareah walaupun ketentuan itu dimasukkan sebagai penerapan syareah. Syareah adalag keadilan Tuhan dan kasih sayang sesame ummat-Nya, hidup, gizi, obat-obatan, cahaya, penyembuhan, kebajikan dibuat karena keadilan dan kasih sayang Tuhan. Apapun kebaikan yang ada berasal dari Tuhan dan setiap kekurangan berasal dari kehilangan dan lenyapnya keadilan dan kasih sayang Tuhan. Syareah yang dipercayakan Nabi Muhammad untuk menyampaikannya adalah sendi dan kunci sukses dan kebahagiaan di dunia dan di akherat”. Dan juga ditegaskan : “Tuhan telah mengutus Nabinya dan mewahyukan kitab-Nya, dengan demikian orang dapat menegakkan keadilan. Keadilan itu merupakan kebenaran yang terdapat padanya syurg dan hari kemudian. Ketika diputuskan untuk menegakkan suatu kebenaran yang didukung landasan dan menjadi jelas apa yang dimaksud bahwa kebenaran itulah hukum Tuhan, agama Tuhan, yang disetujui Tuhan dan perintah Tuhan. Dan Tuhan yang maha mulia memiliki sumber dan cara-cara menegakkan keadilan yang tidak terbatas dan petunjuk ada pada suatu cara dan tidak pada cara yang selain dari Tuhan, yang lebih jelas, lebih nyata, dan membuktikan sendiri. Kenyataannya, Tuhan memperlihatkan metodenya yang termuat dalam aturan-Nya bahwa tujuannya adalah menegakkan kebenaran dan keadilan dan kesederajatan manusia. Apapun bentuk dari suatu kebenaran merupakan keadilan telah dikenal, suatu kewajiban untuk menetapkan peraturan haaruslah ditetapkan berdasarkan keadilan. Metode dan cara-cara penegakan keadilan tidaklah didasarkan keinginan manusia tetapi didasari oleh tujuan hukum yaitu kemaslahatan. ”



{Mei 5, 2009}  

dampak UU kebebasan pers terhadap hak pribadi seseorang

(suatu kritik terhadap tayangan infotainment)

Sudah menjadi suatu aktivitas wajib bagi ibu-ibu rumah tangga menonton tivi pada pagi hari, siang bahkan sore, tayangan yang dilihatpun tak lain adalah acara infotainment yang lagi ditunggu-tunggu. Acara infotainment sekarangpun menempati rating tinggi, hal ini sebenarnya sangat ironis sekali karena didalam acara infotainment tersebut sebagian besar yang di bahas adalah tentang aib seseorang, kita tahu bahwa membicarakan aib seseorang apalagi kemudian dijadikan konsumsi publik merupakan perbuatan yang tidak diperbolehkan menurut semua agama khususnya islam. Namun hal itu seakan-akan sudah menjadi makanan wajib khususnya bagi para ibu-ibu rumah tangga yang tidak mempunyai aktifitas lain dirumah, dan hal ini seakan-akan telah menjadi budaya di masyarakat kita.

            Banyak kasus yang telah dialami oleh artis-artis kita, salah satunya adalah sarah azhari yang melakukan penganiayaan ringan terhadap wartawan oleh karena sarah menganggap bahwa si wartawan keterlaluan dalam mencari berita tentang nta sehingga dia merasa hak dia sudah tidak dihomati lagi, akibat terlalu memaksanya wartawan demi mengejar rating tinggi dalam mengorek suatu informasi tentangnya tak jarang dimintai keterangan secara paksa sehingga mengakibatkan siartis gerah dan cenderung melakukan kekerasan terhadap wartawan. Dengan dalih memakai Undang-Undang kebebasan pers tak jarang wartawan yang menempuh jalur hukum demi mengadukan tindakan yang telah dilakukan oleh siartis.

            Sebelum tahun 2004 tayangan infotainment memang telah ada namun masih dalam tahap wajar dalam memberikan informasi hiburannya terhadap masyarakat luas, namun setelah dinyatakan oleh persatuan wartawan indonesia bahwa wartawan infotainment dikategorikan sebagai wartawan jurnalistik juga, akhirnya tayangan infotainmentpun menjamur, sehingga tak jarang apapun dilakukan dalam mendapatkan informasi yangs sekiranya bisa digunakan untuk dijual demi sebuah rating.

            Budaya menonton tayangan infotainment menurut saya lebih banyak dampak negatifnya daripada positifnya karena dengan tayangan itu secara langsung maupun tidak penonton ditarik untuk bersuudzan terhadap orang lain, walaupun tanpa dipungkiri ada juga berita yang justru mengnispirasi kita melekukan sesuatu yang lebih positif dan kreatif. Kebebasan pers memang sangat diperlukan mengingat kita sangat membutuhkan berita-berita yang sifatnya aktual, tidak seperti berita-berita ketika zaman orde baru dimana kebanyakan kebenaran yang ditutup-tutupi. Kebebasan pers sekarangpun cenderung kebablasan. Daripada kemudian menonton acara infotainment yang dampak negatifnya sangat tinggi sekali, lebih baik yang dibudayakan adalah budaya membaca.

            Kemerdekaan pers merupakan salah satu wujud kedaulatan rakyat dan menjadi unsur yang sangat penting untuk menciptakan kehidupan bermasyarakat, berbangsa dan bernegara yang demokratis, sehingga kemerdekaan mengeluarkan pendapat dan pikiran sebagaimana tercantum dalam pasal 28 UUD 1945 harus terjamin. Sebagaimana dalam pasal 1 bagian 1 Undang-Undang pers No. 40 tahun 1999 disebutkan “pers adalah lembaga sosial dan wahana komunikasi massa yang melaksanakan kegiatan jurnalistik, meliputi mencari, memperoleh, memiliki, menyimpan, mengolah, dan menyampaikan informasi baik dalam bentuk tulisan, suara, gambar, suara dan gambar, serta data dan grafik maupun dalam bentuk lainnya dengan menggunakan media cetak, media elektronik, dan segala jenis saluran yang tersedia”

            Tetapi pers dalam melaksanakan fungsi, hak dan kewajiban dan peranannya, pers harus menghormati hak asasi setiap orang, karena itu dituntut pers yang professional dan terbuka dikontrol oleh masyarakat. Dalam mengejar berita tersebut tanpa disadari terdapat hak yang telah dilanggar yaitu hak untuk tidak dieksploitasi, dipaksa dan sebagainya, sebagai Negara hukum dimana menjunjung tinggi suatu hak asasi seharusnya hal tersebut wajib menjadi perhatian, jangan hanya mementingkan kepentingan suatu tayangan sehingga hak yang seharusnya kita hormati bersama menjadi terabaikan.

            Hak asasi manusia (HAM) sebagaimana dalam pasal 1 bagian 1 undang-undang No. 39 tahun 1999 adalah : seperangkat hak yang melekat pada hakikat dan keberadaan manusia sebagai makhluk tuhan yang maha esa dan merupakan anugerah-Nya yang wajib dihormati, dijunjung tinggi dan dilindungi oleh Negara, hukum, pemerintah dan setiap orang demi kehormatan serta perlindungan harkat dan martabat manusia.

            Hak asasi manusia mempunyai ruang lingkup yang luas dan mencakup berbagai aspek kehidupan, meliputi :[1]

  1. Setiap orang berhak atas perlindungan diri pribadi, keluarga, kehormatan, martabat dan hak miliknya;
  2. Setiap orang berhak atas pengakuan didepan hukum sebagai manusia pribadi dimana saja ia berada;
  3. Setiap orang berha atas rasa aman dan tenteram serta perlindungan terhadap ancaman ketakutan untuk berbuat atau tidak bebuat sesuatu;
  4. Setiap orang tidak boleh diganggu yang merupakan hak yang berkaitan dengan kehidupan pribadi didalam tempat kediamannya;
  5. Setiap orang berhak atas kemerdekaan dan rahasia dalam hubungan komunikasi melalui sarana elektronik tidak boleh diganggu, kecuali atas perintah hakim atau kekuasaan lain yang sah sesuai undang-undang;
  6. Setiap orang berhak untuk bebas dari penyiksaan, penyiksaan, penghukuman atau perlakuan yang kejam, tidak manusiawi, penghilangan paksa, dan penghilangan nyawa;
  7. Setiap orang tidak boleh ditangkap, ditekan , disiksa, dikucilkan, diasingkan, atau dibuang secara sewenang-wenang;
  8. Setiap orang berhak untuk hidup dalam tatanan masyarakat dan kenegaraan yang damai, aman dan tenteram, yang menghormati, melindungi, dan melaksanakan sepenuhnya hak asasi manusia dan kewajiban dasar manusia sebagaimana diatur dalam undang-undang.

            Manusia dianugerahi oleh Tuhan Yang Maha Esa akal budi dan nurani yang memeberikan kepadanya kemampuan untuk membedakan yang baik dan yang buruk yang akan membimbing dan mengarahkan sikap dan perilaku dalam menjalani kehidupannya. Dengan akal dan nuraninya itu, maka manusia memiliki kebebasan untuk memutuskan sendiri perilaku atau perbuatannya. Disamping itu, untuk mengimbangi kebebasan tersebut manusia memiliki kemampuan untuk bertanggung jawab atas semua tindakan yang dilakukannya.

            Manusia diciptakan oleh Tuhan Yang Maha Esa dengan menyandang dua aspek, yakni aspek individualitas (pribadi) dan aspek sosialitas (bermasyarakat). Oleh karena itu, kebebasan setiap orang dibatasi oleh hak asasi orang lain. Ini berarti, bahwa setiap orang mengemban kewajiban mengakui dan menghormati hak asasi orang lain. Kewajiban ini juga berlaku bagi setiap organisasi pada tataran manapun, terutama pemerintah dan Negara. Dengan demikian, Negara dan pemerintah bertanggung jawab untuk melindungi, membela, dan menjamin hak asasi manusia setiap warga Negara dan penduduknya tanpa deskriminasi.

            Pers sebagai tonggak terpenting abad ini sulit terbantahkan. Bahkan pers atau media massa menjadi bagian terpenting bagi hancurnya otoritarianisme dan menguatnya transparansi serta menyebarnya virus demokrasi di berbagai pelosok negeri. Namun karena pers pula, masifikasi informasi terjadi dan metamorfosis kata seakan menjadi nyata. Inilah dunia simulacra yang menyulap wacana menjadi fakta. Melihat peran strategis media massa, tak berlebihan bila semua orang punya harapan melebihi harapan media massa itu sendiri.

            Namun, tidak jarang harapan tersebut berbuah  kekecewaan karena media massa kadang mengaburkan batas antara dunia maya dan dunia nyata, antara kata dan fakta. Ada berita yang sesungguhnya hanya berdasar kata, tetapi seakan hadir dalam dunia nyata karena rekayasa berita. Produksi kata atau berita tanpa faktra sering disebut rumor, gossip atau desas desus karena tidak terjamin kebenarannya (cannot  be verified and is of doubtful accuracy).

             Berita yang berdasar rumor bisa dianggap angin lalu, tapi bisa juga menjadi sebuah terror. Rumor biasanya muncul karena keterbatasan pengetahuan dan ketidak pastian informasi soal yang dirumorkan. Dunia artis merupakan salah satu lahan subur munculnya rumor. Rumor menjadi semakin krusial ketika secara intens didistribusikan melalui media massa, termasuk pers yang tidak secara intens diikuti pembacanya. Dengan demikian terjadinya distorsi terhadap berita menjadi sangat terbuka dan sekaligus mengeruhkan rumor. Pada akhirnya, rumor tersebut menjadi orbitasi realitas. Ia membentuk semacam orbit yang berputar-putar diatas penggung imajiner pembacanya, secara perlahan tapi pasti ia merasik dalam kesadaran untuk kemudian meyakinkan bahw berita itu betul-betul ada.

            Rumor merupakan bagian dari sumber informasi. Revolusi informasi yang menandai abad ini telah memaksa setiap orang untuk menyerap sebanyak-banyaknya informasi. Kemampuan menguasai informasi menjadi modal menguasai abad ini. Itulah sebabnya orang atau institusi Negara berlomba-lomba menguasai informasi dengan segala cara, termasuk dari rumor.

            Dalam agama tauhid terkandung ide persamaan dan persaudaraan seluruh manusia. Bahkan bukan hanya itu saja, melainkan mencakup ide persamaan dan persatuan semua makhluk, baik yang bernyawa maupun tidak bernyawa, tumbuh-tumbuhan, hewan dan manusia. Manusia dalam ajaran Islam adalah manusia bebas, bebas dalam keinginan dan berbuat, bebas dari tekanan serta paksaan orang lain, bebas dari eksploitasi manusia lain, dan bebas dari pemilikan orang lain. Kebebasan manusia yang terdapat dalam ajaran Islam tidak bersifat absolute. Demikian juga hak-hak asasinya.

            Oleh karena itu, yang mempunyai keabsolutan dan ketidak terbatasan dalam ajaran agama Islam hanya Allah SWT, pencipta alam semesta dengan segala isinya, yang lain hanya sebagai ciptaan Allah swt mempunyai sifat keterbatasan. Namun, perlu juga diungkapkan bahwa selain manusia mempunyai sejumlah hak, manusia juga menyandang sejumlah kewajiban yang asasi yang mesti ditunaikannya. Kepentingan individu tidak berada diatas kepentingan masyarakat dan masyarakat tidak dapat merugikan kepentingan individu.

            Pada masa orde baru, saat pemerintah masih sangat represif dengan kebebasan pers, orang-orang yang berkaitan dengan jurnalistik pasti tidak terlepas dari teror dan sebagainya. Namun ketika diera reformasi ini, saat pemerintah menjamin kebebasan pers sedemikian luas, yang membelenggu kebebasan pers malah sekelompok massa, bahkan sering tanpa identitas yang jelas.



{Mei 5, 2009}  

Nyanyian anak kidung

bulan merah berjalan….

beriring dengan riak air….

yang ikut merona oleh jangkauan bulan…

dibawah bulan aku liat putih berkedip…

tersipu asa menanti kepastian…

jauh disana terlukis keabadian, diatas sejatinya cinta…

tapi…

tinggal menunggu dan aku kasihan padanya…..

merenung, memandangi dengan pandangan kosong…

hanya pinta jawaban tanpa berlalu senyum….

putus asa ceritanya anak kidung…

tanpa satupun elok rupawan yang menyandinginya….

by : ilfyie@yahoo.com



{Mei 5, 2009}  

Kontroversi Pidana Mati dalam sistem hukum Indonesia

            Dilihat dari akarnya, hukuman mati berakar dari hukum Belanda, karena KUHP kita itu adalah warisan Belanda, KUHP Belanda tahun 1886, tapi tetap kita anut. Tapi Belanda sendiri sudah menghapus hukuman mati sekitar tahun 1900-an. Mereka licik, karena hukuman mati itu lalu diberlakukan di negara jajahannya. Pada waktu itu, sesungguhnya di Indonesia sudah terjadi perdebatan di antara kelompok-kelompok penegak hukum dan agama, antara yang mempertahankan pidana mati dan yang menolak. Bagi yang menolak, alasannya, pertama, mati-hidup itu di tangan Tuhan dan kedua karena perikemanusian.

            Hak asasi manusia (HAM) sendiri menganjurkan pidana mati dihapuskan. Hanya, dalam HAM ada suatu instrumen yang mengatur supaya hak-hak orang yang dipidana mati dijamin sepenuhnya. Pidana mati baru dijatuhkan, setelah segala upaya betul-betul diusahakan dan pidana mati dilakukan sebagai jalan terakhir. Tapi, anjuran untuk menghapuskan pidana mati terjadi, tapi tidak bisa menghapuskan seluruhnya, dan itu punya aturannya sendiri. Contohnya di Amerika, kalau ada orang membunuh atau memperkosa, ada guyonan: jangan di negara bagian yang menganut pidana mati.

            Dalam negara yang memperhatikan masalah hak asasi manusia, soal eksekusi hukuman mati juga diperhatikan. Hak-haknya harus dijamin sepenuhnya dan cara melaksanakan pidana matinya juga harus melalui jalan terbaik. Di Amerika ada beberapa pilihan, misalnya ada kursi listrik, bisa minum racun obat pil sianida, bisa juga suntikan yang fatal. Jadi, ada beberapa negara ada pilihan-pilihan tertentu, itu semakin berkembang. Kalau di Indonesia ditembak. Dulu digantung, tapi sejak tahun 60-an ditembak oleh regu penembak.

            Di Indonesia pidana mati ini tetap penting, tapi untuk menjatuhkannya membutuhkan pertimbangan yang sangat serius, misalnya bagi pelaku narkoba yang berat atau orang-orang yang melakukan terorisme, pengeboman yang jatuh banyak korban, itu hukumannya pidana mati. Tapi, sekali lagi, pidana mati memang meragukan. Sekarang tergantung dari tujuan pemidanaannya.

            Tujuan pemidanaan itu ada empat. Satu, memasyarakatkan bagi mereka yang masih bisa dimasyarakatkan. Kedua, mencegah dilakukannya tindak pidana oleh orang lain. Ketiga, menyelesaikan konflik, artinya supaya masyarakat puas, rasa pembalasannya dipenuhi, konflik tidak terjadi lagi. Dan keempat, membebaskan rasa bersalah. Jadi pidana itu tujuannya lebih pada prefentif atau pencegahan. Tapi kalau soal efektivitas, pasti masih bisa dipertanyakan.namun masalahnya persoalan ideologi.

            Mereka yang tidak setuju hukuman mati berpendapat: (1) ancaman pidana mati secara historik tidak bersumber pada Pancasila, karena KUHP kita warisan Belanda, bahkan Belanda sendiri termasuk salah satu negara yang telah menghapuskan hukuman mati; (2) hukuman mati (pada dasarnya pembunuhan berencana juga) merupakan sesuatu yang amat berbahaya bila yang bersangkutan tidak bersalah .Tidaklah mungkin diadakan suatu perbaikan apapun bila orang sudah dipidana mati; (3) mereka yang menentang hukuman mati menghargai nilai pribadi, martabat kemanusiaan umumnya dan menghargai suatu pendekatan ilmiah untuk memahami motif-motif yang mendasari setiap tingkah laku manusia.
            Jika mengingat dan mengkaitkannya dalam kasus Tibo cs, hukuman mati patut dihapus karena aneka pertimbangan. Pertama, di seluruh dunia, hukuman mati tidak terbukti mampu menjerakan calon pelaku kriminal besar. Prinsip mata dibayar mata adalah tidak pantas disuburkan di bumi Pancasila. Jika khawatir dengan maraknya perdagangan narkoba, sebetulnya ada banyak jalan keluar yang mampu menghadang, yaitu pada lingkup keluarga, kelompok sebaya, dan komunitas.
Kedua, Tibo dan kawan- kawan adalah saksi utama yang masih amat dibutuhkan untuk menuntaskan pengungkapan kejahatan kemanusiaan di Poso. Setidaknya ada 16 pelaku lain yang harus diadili. Para aktor utama kejahatan itu hingga kini masih berkeliaran. Membunuh Tibo dan kawan-kawan akan mengubur prospek pengungkapan kasus Poso untuk selamanya tanpa maaf dan ampunan sesama komunitas beragama di sana. Alasan ketiga, adalah absurd dan kriminal jika menerapkan politik keseimbangan sejauh menyangkut nyawa manusia. Tidak bisa diterima publik beradab karena ada warga umat beragama lain dihukum mati dalam waktu dekat, maka perlu penyeimbang warga umat satu lagi. Bila logika ini diperturutkan, berarti tiga nyawa ditambah tiga nyawa bukan sama dengan enam nyawa yang hilang, tetapi sebaliknya tiga nyawa plus tiga nyawa menjadi nol nyawa, seimbang. Logika rasional terjungkir balik. Hanya politisi dan pejabat yang tidak waras yang menerapkan politik keseimbangan seperti ini. Bersalah atau tidak, hukuman mati sesungguhnya bertentangan dengan Pancasila dan melanggar prinsip yang diatur dalam Kovenan Internasional Hak-hak Sipil dan Politik tentang hak untuk hidup.

            Pelaksanaan hukuman mati di zaman modern, apalagi yang tidak dilaksanakan berdasarkan pertimbangan keadilan sejati dan yang proses pelaksanaannya tidak menghormati norma-norma, hak-hak dan keyakinan iman korban serta rasa keadilan masyarakat, harus ditolak. Memang penolakan terhadap hukuman mati, bukan saja harus didasarkan pada pertimbangan rasional, moral, dan agama, tetapi juga pada nurani kita sebagai manusia yang beradab. Pertimbangan rasional bisa sangat subjektif, namun logika masyarakat kiranya tidak mendukung pelaksanaan hukuman mati yang didasarkan pada pengadilan serampangan, pertimbangan kebencian dan dendam kesumat, sangat bertentangan dengan akal sehat atau rasio.

            Pelaksanaan hukuman mati, baik keputusan maupun proses pelaksanaannya sangat tidak rasional. Pertimbangan moral dan agama, sama sekali tidak dipedulikan dalam keputusan pidana mati. Karena itu mestinya hukuman mati ditolak. Bagi pertimbangan moral, manusia adalah makhluk mulia yang punya hati nurani. Walaupun cenderung berbuat jahat, namun mereka adalah manusia yang menjadi subjek moral, yang kehidupannya harus dihargai dan dihormati.

            Pertimbangan agama memandang setiap orang sebagai citra Allah yang karenanya menjadi makhluk berharkat dan bermartabat. Agama mengajarkan bahwa hidup manusia bersumber dari Tuhan maka hanya Tuhan yang berhak mengakhiri kehidupan. Siapa pun tidak berhak merendahkan harkat dan martabat seseorang atas dasar perbedaan apa pun, ras, agama, tingkat kehidupan sosial, termasuk perbedaan perilaku. Selain itu, semua agama meyakini pentingnya aspek pertobatan, penyesalan dan ampunan.

 

 

            Ada tiga sikap yang berbeda terhadap hukuman mati :

            Pertama, penganut paham rehabilitasi. Paham ini menolak sama sekali pelaksanaan hukuman mati, apa pun alasannya. Kalau keadilan dianggap sebagai alasan pelaksanaan hukuman mati, yaitu menghukum orang yang membunuh setimpal dengan kesalahan yang dilakukan. Hal itu bertentangan dengan tujuan keadilan: Bukan untuk menghukum tetapi untuk memperbarui.

            Kedua, penganut paham rekonstruksi yang berpendirian bahwa hukuman mati patut dilakukan bagi mereka yang melakukan kejahatan besar. Menurut mereka, keadilan bertujuan untuk membalaskan kesalahan yang dilakukan oleh seorang. Pada umumnya penganut paham rekonstruksi berpendirian bahwa masyarakat harus ditata ulang (direkonstruksi) atas dasar hukum agama. Maka paham ini biasa juga disebut sebagai paham teonomist karena mereka mengacu pada hukum Tuhan.

            Ketiga, penganut paham retri-busi. Penganut paham ini berpendirian bahwa tujuan utama hukuman mati adalah menghukum pelaku kejahatan agar orang tersebut tidak lagi melakukan kejahatan dan orang lain menjadi takut melakukan kejahatan yang sama. Penganut paham ini meyakini bahwa Tuhan memberi hak kepada pemerintah untuk melaksanakan keadilan dengan memberlakukan hukuman mati.
Karena setiap orang tidak berhak menentukan keadilan sendiri maka pelaksanaan keadilan dilakukan oleh pemerintah, maka pemerintah berhak memberlakukan keadilan dengan melaksanakan hukuman mati bagi penjahat kakap.

            Dilihat dari sudut pandang moral, hukuman mati harus ditolak karena:     Pertama, keadilan harus ditegakkan dengan tidak mengakhiri hidup seseorang. Pelaksanaan hukuman mati berarti mengakhiri hidup seseorang sehingga tidak ada kesempatan bagi penjahat untuk memperbaiki perilakunya.

            Kedua, pelaksanaan hukuman mati bisa diartikan melindungi penjahat yang lain. Dalam kasus seperti yang baru terjadi di Palu, dengan mengakhiri hidup tiga terdakwa, maka pelaku kejahatan disebut- sebut menjadi dalang utama kerusuhan Poso, justru tidak dikenai hukuman. Maka pelaksanaan hukuman mati sama sekali tidak mencerminkan penegakan keadilan.

            Ketiga, pelaksanaan hukuman mati sangat bertentangan dengan hakikat manusia sebagai makhluk bermoral. Pelaksanaan hukuman mati seperti tak berperasaan kemanusiaan.

            Keempat, hukuman mati melukai rasa keadilan masyarakat. Terhadap korban hukuman mati yang tidak sangat jelas kesalahannya, pelaksanaan hukuman mati bertentangan dengan moralitas masyarakat.

            Jika kita berpegang pada prinsip dan norma hak-hak asasi manusia, hukuman mati memang harus ditolak atau dihapuskan, karena ia bertentangan dengan prinsip dan norma tersebut, karena :

            Pertama, negara bukan saja harus menghormati dan melindungi hak untuk hidup (the right to life), tapi juga menjamin pelaksanaan penegakan hukum yang tak merengut hak tersebut. Negara harus menjamin hak setiap orang untuk hidup tanpa merenggutnya dalam penegakan hukum pidana.

            Kedua, dalam prinsip hak-hak asasi manusia, hak untuk hidup adalah hak yang tak terenggutkan (non-derogable right), tak boleh dicabut dalam keadaan apa pun. Pencabutan hak ini tidak diperkenankan bukan saja dalam keadaan perang, apalagi dalam keadaan damai.

            Ketiga, hak untuk hidup adalah hak yang melekat di dalam diri (right in itself) setiap orang. Hidup menyatu dengan tubuh manusia atau setiap orang. Merenggutnya berarti mengakhiri hidup seseorang. Pada titik yang mengerikan inilah hidup seseorang sebagai manusia berakhir.

            Keempat, hak untuk hidup paling ditekankan untuk dihormati dan dilindungi oleh semua Negara sebagaimana terkandung dalam Pasal 6 Kovenan Internasional tentang Hak-hak Sipil dan Politik yang telah diratifikasi RI. Hak ini juga dilindungi dalam Pasal 28A UUD 1945 serta Pasal 4 UU No 39/1999 tentang Hak Asasi Manusia (HAM). Penghormatan dan perlindungan bukan saja bersumber dari prinsip dan norma hak-hak asasi manusia internasional, tapi juga telah menjadi bagian dari ketentuan hukum nasional. Negara berkewajiban melindungi dan menjamin setiap orang agar dapat menikmati hak untuk hidup.

            Hukuman mati persis menunjukkan adanya kewenangan mencabut hak untuk hidup. Pidana mati dianggap sebagai hukuman yang kejam, tak berperikemanusiaan serta menghina martabat manusia. Hukuman ini jelas melanggar hak untuk hidup. Eksekusi mati memang pelanggaran serius oleh negara betapa pun seriusnya perbuatan pidana yang dilakukan seseorang.

            Tata cara mengeksekusi terpidana hukuman mati sesuai dengan  UU No.2/Pnps/1964. Dalam kenyataan pelaksanaan di lapangan mungkin ada sedikit perbedaan, namun pada dasarnya sama :

            Persiapan Pidana Mati, meliputi :

  1. Pidana mati dilaksanakan di suatu tempat di daerah hukum pengadilan yang menjatuhkan putusan dalam tingkat pertama (Pengadilan Negeri), dilaksanakan tidak di muka umum (oleh karena itu tidak boleh diliput media) dan dengan cara sesederhana mungkin, kecuali ditetapkan lain oleh Presiden
  2. Pidana mati yang dijatuhkan atas beberapa orang di dalam satu putusan perkara, dilaksanakan secara serempak pada waktu dan tempat yang sama, kecuali ditentukan lain
  3. Dengan masukan dari Jaksa, Kapolda dimana Pengadilan Negeri tersebut berada menentukan waktu dan tempat pelaksanaan pidana mati
  4. Untuk pelaksanaan pidana mati Kapolda membentuk sebuah regu Penembak yang terdiri dari seorang Bintara, dua belas orang Tamtama, di bawah pimpinan seorang Perwira, semuanya dari Brigade Mobile (Brimob). Selama pelaksanaan pidana mati mereka dibawah perintah Jaksa
  5. Menunggu pelaksanaan pidana mati, terpidana di tahan dalam penjara atau tempat lain yang khusus ditunjuk oleh Jaksa
  6. Tiga kali 24 jam sebelum saat pelaksanaan pidana mati, Jaksa memberitahukan kepada terpidana tentang akan dilaksanakannya pidana mati tersebut.
  7. Apabila terpidana hendak mengemukakan sesuatu (keinginan/pesan terakhir), maka dapat disampaikan kepada Jaksa tersebut
  8. Apabila terpidana hamil, maka pelaksanaan pidana mati baru dapat dilaksanakan 40 hari setelah anaknya dilahirkan

Pelaksanaan Pidana Mati :

  1. Terpidana dibawa ke tempat pelaksanaan pidana dengan pengawalan polisi yang cukup
  2. Jika diminta, terpidana dapat disertai oleh seorang perawat rokhani
  3. Terpidana berpakaian sederhana dan tertib, biasanya dengan pakaian yang sudah disediakan. Dimana ada sasaran target di baju tersebut (Di Jantung)
  4. Setibanya di tempat pelaksanaan pidana mati, Komandan pengawal menutup mata si terpidana dengan sehelai kain, kecuali jika terpidana tidak menghendakinya
  5. Terpidana dapat menjalani pidananya secara berdiri, duduk atau berlutut. Jika dipandang perlu, terpidana dapat diikat tangan serta kakinya ataupun diikat kepada sandaran yang khusus dibuat untuk itu. Misalnya diikat pada tiang atau kursi
  6. Setelah terpidana sudah berada dalam posisinya, maka Regu Penembak dengan senjata sudah terisi menuju ke tempat yang ditentukan. Jarak antara terpidana dengan Regu Penembak antara 5 sampai 10 meter
  7. Apabila semua persiapan telah selesai, maka Jaksa memerintahkan untuk memulai pelaksanaan pidana mati
  8. Dengan menggunakan pedangnya sebagai isyarat, Komandan Regu Penembak memberikan perintah supaya bersiap, kemudian dengan menggerakkan pedangnya ke atas ia memerintahkan Regunya untuk membidik pada jantung terpidana dan dengan menyentakkan pedangnya ke bawah secara cepat, dia memberikan perintah untuk menembak.
  9. Apabila masih terlihat tanda-tanda kehidupan, maka Komandan Regu segera memerintahkan kepada Bintara Regu Penembak untuk menembak terpidana menggunakan pistol tepat di atas telinga terpidana. Kemudian dokter memeriksa terpidana untuk memastikan kematiannya.

            Pemberlakuan hukuman mati memang masih memberikan kontroversi di berbagai belahan dunia. Tujuan utama memberlakukan hukuman mati adalah memberi efek jera agar perbuatan pidana tersebut tidak dilakukan lagi. Namun efektifkah hal tersebut? Mungkin hal ini lebih efektif jika diterapkan di tindak pidana korupsi,dimana terpidananya notabene adalah orang-orang yang mempunyai kekuasaan dan jabatan tinggi. Perdebatan tentang pidana mati sudah cukup lama berlangsung dalam wacana hukum pidana di berbagai belahan dunia.

            Dari pendekatan historis dan teoritik, pidana mati adalah pengembangan teori absolut dalam ilmu hukum pidana. Teori ini mengajarkan tentang pentingnya efek jera (detterence effect) dalam pemidanaan. Dalam perkembangannya teori ini mengalami perubahan yang signifikan. Pemidanaan tidak lagi ditujukan pada efek jera akan tetapi lebih kepada rehabilitasi terhadap terpidana, yakni dengan mengembalikan terpidana seperti semula agar dapat bersosialisasi dan dapat diterima oleh masyarakat.

            Kontroversi pidana mati di Indonesia mengemuka terkait dengan dikeluarkannya beberapa Keputusan Presiden di tahun 2003 yang menolak permohonan grasi terhadap para terpidana mati yang terlibat dalam tindak pidana narkotika dan pembunuhan. Ada dua mainstream wacana yang berhadap-hadapan dalam perdebatan tersebut yakni yang setuju terhadap pidana mati dan pada pihak lain tidak setuju terhadap pidana mati.

            Secara singkat pihak yang setuju berargumentasi bahwa pidana mati masih relevan diterapkan di Indonesia dan masih banyak peraturan perundang-undangan yang mencantumkan ancaman pidana mati dalam hukum posistif Indonesia. Pihak yang tidak setuju menyatakan pidana mati bertentangan dengan hak asasi manusia, dengan mengacu kepada UUD 45 yang mengutip asal 28 A perubahan kedua yang menyatakan “setiap orang berhak untuk hidup serta berhak mempertahankan hidup dan kehidupannya” dengan demikian hak hidup adalah hak yang tidak dapat dikurangi dalam keadaan apapun (non derogable human right).

            Dari perspektif internasional ketentuan mengenai hak asasi manusia yang berkaitan dengan hak hidup dapat ditemukan dalam International Covenant on Civil and Political Right (ICCPR) yang mengatur hak untuk hidup (right to life). Pasal 6 ayat (1) ICCPR berbunyi setiap manusia berhak atas hak untuk hidup dan mendapat hak perlindungan hukum dan tiada yang dapat mencabut hak itu. Selanjutnya Pasal 6 ayat (2) menyatakan bagi negara yang belum menghapus ketentuan pidana mati, putusan tersebut hanya berlaku pada kejahatan yang termasuk kategori yang serius sesuai hukum yang berlaku saat itu dan tak bertentangan dengan kovenan ini dan Convention on Prevention and Punishment of Crime of Genocide.

            Pidana tersebut hanya dapat melaksanakan merujuk pada putusan final yang diputuskan oleh pengadilan yang kompoten. Jika menggunakan pemidanaan untuk menimbulkan efek jera akan muncul pertanyaan penting apakah betul dengan adanya pidana mati dapat dikurangi angka kejahatan? Ternyata berbagai hasil penelitian menunjukkan tidak ada korelasi positif antara pidana mati dan penurunan angka kejahatan. Bila ada yang berpendapat pidana mati bisa menimbulkan efek jera, hal itu tidak benar. Di Inggris dua ratus tahun yang lalu, para pencopet selalu dipidana mati dengan cara digantung di lapangan terbuka di depan publik.

            Ironisnya saat pelaksanaan pidana mati tersebut berlangsung para pencopet justru beraksi. Dalam hukum positif Indonesia masih terdapat banyak peraturan perundang-undangan yang mencantumkan ancaman pidana mati misalnya dalam Kitab Undang Hukum Pidana (KUHP), UU No. 7/Drt/1955 tentang Tindak Pidana Ekonomi, UU No. 22 Tahun 1997 tentang Tindak Pidana Narkotik dan Psikotropika, UU No. 31 Tahun 1999 yang telah diubah dengan UU No. 20 Tahun 2001 tentang Tindak Pidana Korupsi, UU No. 26 Tahun 2000 tentang Tindak Pidana Terhadap Hak Asasi Manusia, Perpu Pemberantasan Tindak Pidana Terorisme yang telah disahkan menjadi UU.

            Dalam penjatuhan pidana terhadap seseorang sangat mungkin terjadi kesalahan oleh hakim, terlebih dalam keadaan penegakan hukum di Indonesia yang masih perlu dipertanyakan. Kita tidak bisa berharap sebuah keputusan yang adil dalam dunia peradilan yang masih korup. Tampaknya tidak arif kalau kita menyerahkan wewenang yang begitu besar yang menyangkut nyawa seseorang terhadap lembaga peradilan masih korup. Perlu dicatat sepanjang masih ada instrumen hukum yang memberikan ancaman pidana mati, maka sepanjang itu pula penjatuhan pidana mati dan potensi penolakan grasi oleh Presiden sangat terbuka. Oleh sebab itu sebaiknya perjuangan untuk menghapuskan pidana mati harus dibarengi dengan upaya untuk melakukan review terhadap seluruh instrumen hukum yang mencantumkan klausula ancaman pidana mati.

            Tampaknya mustahil kita menentang pidana mati sementara peraturan perundang-undangan kita termasuk yang lahir pada era reformasi masih mencantumkan ancaman pidana mati. Perjuangan menegakkan hak asasi manusia tidak boleh bersikap diskriminatif termasuk memperjuangkan hak hidup seorang penjahat kelas berat sekalipun, karena mereka memiliki hak untuk hidup sebagai hak asasi yang paling mendasar. Ia menambahkan, memang berat untuk mempertahankan pidana mati pada saat seluruh negara Eropa telah menghapuskan pidana mati dari sistem hukum mereka, meski sebenarnya pidana mati adalah hukum positif yang harus dijalankan.
            Muladi berpendapat peradilan pidana mati harus betul-betul final, akurat dan tidak ada debat. “Kalau masih ada complain, maka harus diselesaikan. Karena masih ada sekitar 80 orang yang menunggu eksekusi mati yang saat ini masih dipenjara. Ini bisa menimbulkan masalah,” ujarnya. Dalam Rancangan Kitab Undang-undang Hukum Pidana (KUHP) yang akan diajukan ke DPR, Muladi mengatakan terdapat hukuman pidana mati bersyarat yang dapat diterapkan untuk kasus-kasus tertentu.

            Dalam hukuman pidana mati bersyarat, ditentukan bahwa seorang terpidana mati dapat diperingan hukumannya menjadi hukuman seumur hidup apabila dalam sepuluh tahun kelakuannya membaik dan menunjukkan rasa penyesalan. “Pidana mati bersyarat mempertemukan mereka yang setuju dengan mereka yang menolak pidana mati sehingga terpidana mati masih memiliki kesempatan untuk hidup,” tutur Muladi. Namun, Ketua tim perumus RUU KUHP itu menambahkan, pidana mati bersyarat tersebut tidak dapat diberikan dalam semua kasus. Pidana mati bersyarat, lanjut Muladi, tidak dapat dikenakan kepada terdakwa aktor intelektual. Muladi berpendapat peradilan pidana mati harus betul-betul final, akurat dan tidak ada debat.

Prof JE Sahetapy berkeyakinan bahwa ke depan pidana mati di Indonesia dengan sendirinya akan dihapuskan dan akan menjadi sesuatu yang bersipat masa lalu. Menurutny, pidana mati tidak semata-mata harus dilihat dari aspek hukum legal formal, dan hukum positif, akan tetapi yang lebih penting adalah dengan dihapuskannya hukuman mati seakan memberi pesan kepada kepada manusia akan pentingnya perdamaian dan pengampunan. Hukuman mati merupakan warisan kolonial, penjajah seperti Belanda atau kolonialis lain akan menghum mati kepada siapa saja yang melakukan kekacauan atau pemberontakan kepada penjajah, Yang ingin tetap mempertahankan hukuman mati merupakan cermin bermotif kolonial.

            Menurut Ramli atmasasmita masalah pidana mati ini sifatnya politis. Hal Ini sudah lama ada. Coba lihat riwayat Amerika, Inggris, dan Belanda. Sebagai negara sepertinya sudah tren kok dihapus pidana mati, jadi persoalan. Secara internasional PBB itu mempunyai standar ganda. Punya deklarasi universal, tapi juga ada protokol yang memungkinkan hukuman mati, walaupun dihimbau supaya dicabut. Tapi tidak ada sesuatu yang tegas di situ. Deklarasinya tegas, tapi protokolnya tidak tegas.

            Terdapat usulan mengganti hukuman mati dengan hukuman seumur hidup.tapi hal itu juga dapat menimbulkan masalah, Pertama, benar-benar hidup dalam penjara selamanya. Kedua, negara akan keluar biaya besar untuk mengongkosi. Sanggup tidak negara? Sebenarnya arahnya kita sekarang ini pada penghapusan hukuman mati. Cuma jika hapus total, akan memunculkan reaksi politis, khususnya dari partai-partai Islam.

            Beberapa pasal dalam KUHP yang menjatuhkan hukuman mati: Pasal 104, 111, 124, 140, 365, 444, 479 k, 479 o.

            Setiap negara tentu memiliki sistem hukum yang berbeda-beda. Salah satu bidang hukum itu adalah hukum pidana yang didalamnya memuat tentang pidana mati. Sebab pidana mati memang menjadi bagian dari sistem hukum bangsa-bangsa. Namun dalam praktek yang terjadi pada berbagai sistem hukum itu juga sangat beragam.Di Indonesia pun sesungguhnya terlihat adanya beberapa perbedaan sistem hukum. Misalnya di Indonesia saat ini ada hukum yang berlaku secara formal dan ada hukum adat dan hukum Islam. Apalagi banyak kalangan yang menganggap pidana mati dalam Islam sangat kejam dan hanya merupakan pelampiasan “balas dendam” semata.

            Salah satu bentuk sanksi yang paling berat dalam hukum pidana adalah pidana mati. Masalah pidana mati ini telah diperdebatkan ratusan tahun lamanya oleh para sarjana hukum pidana dan kriminolog hingga sekarang. Debat pro dan kontra tentang adanya lembaga hukuman mati rasanya depat itu tidak akan pernah berakhir sampai kapanpun.   Dari sisi hukum internasional, hukuman mati sebenarnya telah diwajibkan untuk dihapuskan di dalam UU nasional masing-masing negara anggota PBB, termasuk Indonesia yang telah meratifikasi Konvensi Internasional tentang Hak-hak Sipil dan Politik (1966) dengan UU No 12 Tahun 1995; hanya pada Pasal 6 Konvenan itu masih dibolehkan dalam tiga keadaan :

Pertama, hanya dapat diterapkan terhadap kejahatan yang serius (serious crimes).

Kedua, tidak dapat diberlakukan UU secara retroaktif.

Ketiga, harus atas dasar putusan pengadilan yang telah mendapat kekuatan hukum tetap.

Keempat, tidak dapat diterapkan terhadap wanita yang sedang hamil dan anak di bawah usia 18 tahun. Jika pidana mati diterapkan, penerapannya harus mempertimbangkan hak seorang terdakwa pidana mati untuk mendapat pengampunan dan komutasi dengan pidana lainnnya.

            Hukuman mati adalah suatu hukuman atau vonis yang dijatuhkan pengadilan (atau tanpa pengadilan) sebagai bentuk hukuman terberat yang dijatuhkan atas seseorang akibat perbuatannya

            Di negara Indonesia terpidana yang divonis hukuman mati mengikuti sistem undang-undangan yang notabene adalah sisa peninggalan kolonial Belanda. Sudah berpuluh- puluh orang yang dieksekusi mati, bahkan pada saat zaman “Orde Baru” korban yang dieksekusi mati sebagian besar adalah narapidana politik. Hingga 2006 tercatat ada 11 peraturan perundang-undangan yang masih memiliki ancaman hukuman mati, seperti: KUHP, UU Narkotika, UU Anti Korupsi, UU Anti terorisme, dan UU Pengadilan HAM. Daftar ini bisa bertambah panjang dengan adanya RUU Intelijen dan RUU Rahasia Negara.

            Dalam pelaksanaan hukuman mati ini, setiap negara mempunyai metode- metode yang berbeda, seperti:

  1. Pancung kepala, Saudi arabia dan Iran;
  2. Sengatan listrik, Amerika Serikat;
  3. Digantung, Mesir, Irak, Iran, Jepang, Yordania, Pakistan, Singapura;
  4. Suntik mati, Tiongkok, Guatemala, Thailand, Amerika Serikat;
  5.  Tembak, Tiongkok, Somalia, Taiwan, Indonesia;
  6. Rajam, Afganistan, Iran.

            Dalam masyarakat indonesia sendiri, terbagi menjadi dua kelompok, yaitu kelompok yang mendukung hukuman mati dan kelompok yang menentang hukuman mati.

Kelompok pendukung hukuman mati beranggapan bahwa bukan hanya pembunuh saja yang punya hak untuk hidup dan tidak disiksa. Masyarakat luas juga punya hak untuk hidup dan tidak disiksa. Untuk menjaga hak hidup masyarakat, maka pelanggaran terhadap hak tersebut patut dihukum mati.n



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