Jakarta, April 10, 2025 — The Europe Today: The governments of Indonesia and Switzerland have explored the possibility of establishing a prisoner transfer agreement, with a shared commitment to upholding each country’s judicial authority over incarcerated individuals.
The discussion was held during a meeting in Jakarta between Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Swiss Ambassador to Indonesia Olivier Zehnder.
Minister Mahendra highlighted that Indonesia has signed similar agreements with a number of countries, including the Philippines and France. He emphasized that diplomatic efforts to protect Indonesian nationals abroad remain ongoing.
“We are also in constant diplomatic communication to handle Indonesian citizens who have been sentenced to death abroad,” he said. He further noted that such initiatives had resulted in 71 Indonesian citizens being acquitted of death sentences in Malaysia.
During the meeting, the Indonesian minister also outlined key provisions of the country’s new Criminal Code (KUHP) Law, which was legislated in 2023 and is scheduled to come into force in January next year. The new law introduces revisions to the application of the death penalty, including a mandatory 10-year probation period before execution. During this period, the President may commute the sentence if the individual demonstrates sincere remorse and rehabilitation.
Mahendra and Zehnder also discussed Indonesia’s ongoing efforts to improve legal and governance systems, particularly in the context of the country’s bid to join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The minister underlined Indonesia’s active role in international legal reform and rule of law promotion.
Ambassador Zehnder expressed Switzerland’s support for Indonesia’s legal modernization efforts and its aspirations for global recognition. He noted that Switzerland stands ready to share legal best practices and enhance technical and institutional cooperation with Indonesia, grounded in a shared respect for human rights.
Both parties concluded the meeting by reaffirming their commitment to strengthening their strategic partnership and expanding collaboration in the legal and human rights spheres.
