Rudy Satrio, a criminal law expert at the University...

Rudy Satrio, a criminal law expert at the University of Indonesia's School of Law, said he was against the death sentence handed to Bali bomber Amrozi bin H Nurhasyim as the presentation of evidence had not followed the Criminal Court Procedure. Rudy said that the Denpasar District Court had questioned witnesses for hours, despite visible signs that they were already tired. "It is against the Criminal Code Procedure. A witness, who is tired or not healthy, should not be forced to testify as their testimonies are made questionable," said Rudy, who followed the case via a local television station's live broadcast. Rudy also criticised the court for hearing the testimony of a computer expert, who was allegedly a police officer. "An expert can not be an officer of an institution involved in the prosecution because the court needs professional and fair confirmations of the evidence," Rudy said. He also questioned the fact that the hearing was conducted in Denpasar Bali, as the public pressure there might have influenced the court. "Could the judges stay neutral (in making the verdict)?" asked Rudy. However, Rudy said that he could still accept the legal arguments of the judges, but suggested that a life sentence was justified and not the death penalty. Rights activist Ifdhal Kasim of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy, concurred with Rudy, saying that capital punishment would not contribute to a more civilized society. "Despite the fact that the convict has committed a crime of terror, the punishment must not be a revenge," he said. Both Rudy and Ifdhal agreed that capital punishment was not the answer to terrorist attacks in the country. "Some radicals might perceive that the punishment is the result of pressure from Western countries and thus, those who are sentenced to death will become heroes," Rudy warned.