60 Children Released on National Children's Day

On Indonesia's National Children's Day, 60 children in correctional facilities were released after receiving Sentence Reduction Measures (PMP). This initiative, part of a broader program by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, saw a total of 1,050 children nationwide granted PMP. The Directorate General of Corrections detailed that 990 children received PMP for a partial reduction of their sentences, while the other 60 were eligible for immediate release.

Minister of Law and Human Rights Agus Andrianto stated that the rehabilitation programs within the Children's Special Guidance Institutions (LPKA) are designed not as punishment, but as a state responsibility to guide children toward better lives. "The guidance provided at LPKA is not retribution, but a manifestation of the state's responsibility to return children to a better life," Agus said on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

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The guidance provided at LPKA is not retribution, but a manifestation of the state's responsibility to return children to a better life.

The PMP recipients included various sentence reductions: 660 children received a one-month reduction, 206 received two months, 105 received three months, and 19 received four months. Among those released directly, 31 received a one-month reduction, 14 received two months, another 14 received three months, and one child received a four-month reduction.

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Don't ever feel that your past determines your future.

Andrianto views the LPKA programs as a starting point for self-improvement, encompassing education, vocational training, religious strengthening, discipline building, and life skills development. He expressed hope that the sentence reductions would motivate the children to continue their self-development and build brighter futures, emphasizing that "your past does not determine your future."

Director General of Corrections Mashudi added that PMP respects the children's rights and acknowledges their behavioral changes during rehabilitation. "Through PMP, we have realized respect for the Rights of Children in Need of Special Protection, fostered motivation for behavioral change, and encouraged the success of rehabilitation," Mashudi stated. This year, North Sumatra led with 102 PMP recipients, followed by West Java with 96, and East Java with 80. The program is estimated to save Rp 1.75 billion in child inmate meal costs and aligns with a rehabilitative approach prioritizing children's best interests.

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Through PMP, we have realized respect for the Rights of Children in Need of Special Protection, fostered motivation for behavioral change, and encouraged the success of rehabilitation.