Police Open Prison Doors Because They Can't Bear Seeing a Child Hugging His Father Barred by Bars, Police: No Problem, but?

Police Open Prison Doors Because They Can't Bear Seeing a Child Hugging His Father Barred by Bars, Police: No Problem, but?

Viral on social media a member of the police in Jambi, Bripka Handoko, opened the prison door because he saw a father who was a prisoner in a theft case wanting to hug his daughter, but was blocked by iron bars. 

Police Headquarters emphasized that what Bripka Handoko did was not a problem. 

"Yes, that's fine. The principle is not a problem," said the Head of the Public Information Bureau (Karo Penmas) of the Public Relations Division of the Indonesian National Police Brigadier General Ahmad Ramadhan when contacted, Sunday (26/3/2023). 

Ramadhan explained that the actions that Bripka Handoko took were not a problem, as long as there was supervision over detainees. 

He said the police had to calculate whether the detainee was dangerous and had the potential to escape or not when the cell door was opened. 

"There is still a record, if it is not dangerous or does not run away and it is also being monitored," he said. 

The 1-star general of the National Police said that basically, every detainee would receive the same treatment. 

They have the opportunity to be visited by family or other parties from outside. 

It's just that, said Ramadhan, back again to the members of the prison guard, where he must be able to consider how dangerous the prison door will be opened. 

"If you only allow the detainee to meet his daughter and it is believed that the detainee is not in danger or has not run away, that's fine," Ramadhan added. 

This incident occurred at the Maro Sebo Police, Jambi, on Friday (24/3/2023). 

Kapolsek Maro Sebo Iptu Wiwik Utomo has confirmed that the member of the Maro Sebo Police who opened the prison cell door and made the video was Bripka Handoko. 

Contacted separately, Bripka Handoko explained how it started. 

"The video I took yesterday afternoon, Friday 24 March 2023, when breaking the fast, the child came with his older brother to deliver his parents' food," he said. 

He opened the prison door of his own free will. 

Handoko admitted that he could not bear to see his son embracing his father, hindered by the iron bars. 

"I opened the door on my own initiative because I couldn't bear to see a child hugging his father hindered by the iron bars," he said. 

"In which I only opened the cell door briefly and behind me there was an additional security door," added Handoko. 

Meanwhile, the father of the child was jailed for the theft case as referred to in Article 363 of the Criminal Code (KUHP).