BANDUNG, July 30 (Bernama) — The Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) opposes the passing of death penalties on terrorists in Indonesia, Antara news agency reported quoting a spokesman as saying.

"Past death penalties have not deterred the terrorists still operating in the country as proven by the recent hotel bombings in Jakarta," Kontras Coordinator, Usman Hamid said here Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters after a seminar on the police’s professionalism in Lembang, he said the execution of Bali bombers Amrozi et al last year had not deterred other terrorists from carrying out their actions.

"Terrorists in Indonesia adhere to an ideology or creed that have rid them of the fear for death as demonstrated by the suicide bombings on two hotels in Jakarta on July 17," he said.

Instead of sentencing terrorists to death, Indonesian courts should base their verdicts on human rights and adopt life terms as the maximum penalty.

But Hamid admitted the abolishment of capital punishment in Indonesia could not be achieved soon as it required the amendment of existing criminal laws.

"So it is up to our law-makers to change the criminal laws," he said.

— BERNAMA