“Can this be approved and enacted as law?” Deputy Speaker of the DPR Sufmi Dasco Ahmad asked, followed by a unanimous response of “approved” from lawmakers at the Parliament Complex here on Thursday.
Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas said that cross-border law enforcement is part of the state’s obligation to protect the Indonesian people as mandated in the preamble of the 1945 Constitution.
He stressed that international cooperation in criminal law, including extradition, is a crucial instrument to ensure that offenders cannot hide outside national jurisdiction and remain subject to legal accountability.
He explained that extradition arrangements between Indonesia and Russia had so far been based on Law No. 1 of 1979 on Extradition and various international conventions.
However, these mechanisms were considered not fully effective as they were general in nature and did not establish binding legal obligations between the two countries.
“The potential for criminals to flee to Indonesia or vice versa is quite significant, given the vast territories of both nations,” Supratman said.
He noted that the agreement marked the first extradition treaty between Indonesia and a European country.
The pact also complements Law No. 5 of 2021 on the Ratification of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in Criminal Matters between Indonesia and Russia.
According to Supratman, the ratification strengthens several aspects, including legal certainty over extradition obligations and enhanced cooperation in criminal law enforcement, particularly in corruption, narcotics, terrorism, and other transnational crimes.
“The President of the Republic of Indonesia has agreed to the bill on the ratification of the extradition treaty between the Republic of Indonesia and the Russian Federation,” Supratman said.
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Translator: Primayanti
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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