Indonesian prosecutors seek 5-10 years jail for 19 in baby trafficking trial

Indonesian prosecutors are demanding prison sentences of five to 10 years for 19 individuals accused of operating a baby trafficking syndicate. The defendants allegedly sold at least 34 babies between 2022 and 2025, with some trafficked to Singapore for thousands of dollars each.

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The defendants’ actions have disturbed the public. The defendants’ actions are contrary to religious principles and accepted standards of morality.

The harshest sentence of 10 years is sought for five defendants, including alleged ringleader Lie Siu Luan, also known as Lily, and Astri Fitrinika, who is believed to have recruited most of the babies. Prosecutors cited the defendants' actions as disturbing to the public and contrary to religious and moral standards.

However, prosecutors argued against the maximum 15-year sentence for these five, stating they were cooperative during the trial. The remaining 14 defendants, accused of being fake parents and caretakers, face recommended five-year sentences for their minor roles.

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The adopted children are, in fact, healthy and their whereabouts can be traced … there was no exploitation whatsoever.

Lawyers for the defendants criticized the sentence demands. Lily's lawyer argued that the children were in loving homes and their whereabouts traceable, with no exploitation. Astri's lawyer questioned the fairness of seeking a sentence for his client nearly as harsh as the alleged ringleader's, suggesting a lack of proportionality.

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The prosecutors are seeking a 10-year sentence (for Astri), which is almost the same as the sentence sought against Lily. In our view, this reflects a lack of fairness because it treats them as though they were equally culpable.