700 drug convicts eligible for amnesty: Minister Agtas

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Law Minister Supratman Andi Agtas informed that the government has determined at least 700 prisoners convicted for drug offenses eligible for amnesty, following a verification and assessment.

Speaking in Jakarta on Wednesday, he said that the convicts solely comprise drug addicts, and not drug traffickers, in line with the Supreme Court's Circular Letter No. 4 of 2010 concerning the placement of drug convicts in rehabilitation facilities.

Agtas pointed out that the eligible drug inmates are among the 19 thousand prisoners who qualified for amnesty based on the results of the verification and assessment.

"The number of prisoners targeted for amnesty has gradually decreased from 100 thousand to 44 thousand and (then) 19 thousand, upon verification," he said.

However, the minister underlined that the number may still fluctuate as the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections is still working on finalizing the list of prisoners who can be granted amnesty.

"This figure is not final," he said.

Earlier, in Jakarta, on February 19, 2025, Immigration and Corrections Minister Agus Andrianto told parliamentarians that his team had declared 19,337 convicts eligible for amnesty.

He said that the number of inmates who pass the eligibility criteria may still rise or fall, considering that there will be special remissions on religious holidays and via integration programs soon.

Andrianto emphasized that the Indonesian government will grant amnesty based on several criteria to prisoners, including those who are drug addicts or convicted for violating Law No. 11 of 2008 regarding information and electronic transactions.

Amnesty may also be granted to prisoners with chronic diseases or mental illnesses, elderly convicts aged over 70 years, pregnant inmates, and female prisoners caring for children aged under three.