Chief of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has said he will meet President Joko Widodo soon to convince him of the importance of ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT).

“I offer to convince the President on the importance to have this Optional Protocol be ratified,” Ahmad Taufan Damanik remarked here on Wednesday.

The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment is important for reforming social homes, prison, and other facilities, he opined.

According to Damanik, convincing political powers on the importance of ratifying OPCAT has been quite difficult. To this end, the commission has deemed that it will be more viable to approach key figures, such as the President, he said.

Convincing political leaders on the importance of human rights instruments is quite difficult, he added.

This is despite the fact that international standards that relate to human rights, such as OPCAT, are very good for the advancement of civilization, he said.

“Once key figures approve, the rest becomes easy,” he remarked.

Based on several previous experiences, approaching political figures one by one will be time-consuming, Damanik said.

There was a certain party who got angry when the Komnas HAM rejected the Omnibus law, he added. However, they went back to supporting the commission afterward, he said.

“So, it is difficult. It will be better if we only approach key figures, namely the President,” he added.

He said he believes that the effort to ratify OPCAT will be far more effective if the President and related ministries are approached directly.

Source: Antara News