Call on Indonesian authorities to ensure right to a fair trial for Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court | CIJL-ICJ

The ICJ is calling on the Indonesian authorities to ensure that the proceedings against Justice Akil Mochtar fully comply with international law and standards on fair trial and the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

Justice Mochtar, Chief Justice of Indonesia’s Constitutional Court (photo), is accused of taking a bribe to issue a favourable verdict in an election dispute.

Justice Mochtar was arrested on 2 October 2013 and remains in custody. According to a spokesperson for the Corruption Eradication Commission, he is alleged to have received a bribe, through several intermediaries, from Hambit Binti, a district chief whose re-election was contested.

The Constitutional Court has sole jurisdiction over disputes contesting the conduct or results of elections.

The ICJ calls for a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation of these serious allegations.

The impartiality of the judiciary is an essential condition for respect for the rule of law, and is undermined when judicial decisions are made on the basis of financial inducements rather than solely according to evidence and the law.

Integrity is vital to the proper Lees verder…;