Inp.polri.go.id - Badung. Indonesia intensified negotiations for an ASEAN extradition agreement to reconcile legal system disparities among member states in Southeast Asia.

Director-General of Legal Administration at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, Cahyo Rahardian Muzhar, raised his optimism during a senior ASEAN officials' meeting in Bali on Tuesday (30/4/2024).

The meeting, held from April 29 to May 3, 2024, marked the ninth working group session regarding the ASEAN Extradition Agreement, according to antaranews.com.

Since its inception in 2021, 11 out of 28 draft agreement articles have been approved, signaling progress despite anticipated lengthy negotiations due to legal system variations among ASEAN nations, Cahyo said.

Upon finalization, the agreement will streamline extradition processes among ASEAN members, fostering swift cooperation in arresting criminals, defendants, and convicts fleeing between member countries.

Cahyo emphasized that while the agreement aims to facilitate extradition, it respects the legal autonomy of each ASEAN nation, acknowledging the complexity of negotiations. 

Indonesia already holds extradition treaties with 12 countries, with ongoing ratification processes with Russia.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)