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Patrialis Akbar

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Patrialis Akbar
Akbar in 2010
28th Minister of Justice and Human Rights of Indonesia
In office
October 22, 2009 – October 19, 2011
PresidentSusilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Preceded byMohammad Andi Mattalatta
Succeeded byAmir Syamsuddin
Personal details
Born (1958-10-31) October 31, 1958 (age 66)
Padang, Sumatera Barat, Indonesia
NationalityIndonesia

Patrialis Akbar (born 31 October 1958) is an Indonesian lawyer, politician and convicted corruption felon from Padang, West Sumatra.

Education and early career

He obtained his law degree from the Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta and then had a career as an advocate.[1]

Justice Minister

Akbar was part of the Second United Indonesia Cabinet and served as Minister of Justice and Human Rights in Indonesia from 22 October 2009 until 19 October 2011.

Constitutional Court Justice

In 2013, former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono attempted to appoint Akbar to the Constitutional Court of Indonesia at the end of Achmad Sodiki's term, but the Jakarta State Administrative Court blocked Akbar's appointment as well as that of his fellow justice Maria Farida Indrati. Legal activists cited Akbar's poor performance as a minister as well as his personal ties to the president.[2] Yudhoyono's office appealed the ruling on behalf of Akbar and Indrati,[3][4] succeeding after the Jakarta High Administrative Court found that the petition against Akbar and Indrati lacked legal standing for the challenge.[5]

Alongside Aswanto, Akbar was one of several judges or former judges who had spoken out in favor of a Constitutional Court ruling to ban premarital sex.[6]

In June 2015, Akbar rejected a judicial review requested by children's rights groups to raise Indonesia's minimum age for marriage for women from 16 to 18. He said there was no guarantee raising the age limit would reduce the incidence of divorce, health problems or social problems.[7]

Corruption arrest and conviction

Akbar's tenure on the Constitutional Court was ultimately cut short despite the presidential appeals that head led to his initial appointment. In January 2017, the Corruption Eradication Commission arrested Akbar and ten other defendants in a sting operation on suspicion of corruption in an animal health law. Constitutional Chief Justice Arief Hidayat led an investigation into their colleagues, clearing their fellow justices Manahan Sitompul and I Dewa Gede Palguna but finding enough evidence for Akbar's dismissal.[8]

On 4 September 2017, he was convicted of corruption and sentenced to eight years in jail. Jakarta Corruption Court found him guilty of accepting US$70,000 in bribes from a beef importer, Basuki Hariman, in relation to a favorable judicial review of the 2014 Animal Husbandry and Livestock Health Law.[9] During his trial, it was revealed that Hariman had promised Akbar a further Rp 2 billion to pay for an apartment for a young woman, who admitted Akbar had already given her a car, clothes and money.[10] While a justice of the Constitutional Court, Akbar condemned casual sex, saying he believed sex outside of marriage is a crime.[11]

References

  1. ^ VIVA News
  2. ^ Ina Parlina , Administrative court strips Patrialis of MK seat. Jakarta Post, 24 December 2013. Accessed 17 August 2016.
  3. ^ Palace Defends Patrialis Appointment, Prepares Appeal. Jakarta Globe, 24 December 2013. Accessed 24 October 2016.
  4. ^ Indonesian govt considering appealing against verdict annulling constitutional court justice appointment. Antara News, 24 December 2013. Accessed 24 October 2016.
  5. ^ Simon Butt, The Constitutional Court and Democracy in Indonesia, pg. 41. Leiden: Brill Publishers, 2015. ISBN 9789004250598
  6. ^ Hans Nicolas Jong, Rights activists to present their case at MK hearings. Jakarta Post, 25 August 2016.
  7. ^ Putri, Adelia (19 June 2015). "Indonesian court says no to raising minimum marrying age for girls". Rappler. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  8. ^ Yustinus Paat and Eko Prasetyo, Patrialis Akbar Dismissed From Constitutional Court. Jakarta Globe, 28 January 2017. Accessed 2 February 2017.
  9. ^ Kahfi, Kharishar (4 September 2017). "Former MK justice sentenced to 8 years in prison". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  10. ^ "Former Constitutional Court Judge Patrialis Akbar sentenced to 8 years in prison for accepting bribe". Coconuts Jakarta. 4 September 2017. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  11. ^ Jong, Hans Nicholas (31 August 2017). "Justice insists adultery root of society's ills". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
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