Anwar Usman was removed from office for violating the code of ethics. The Chief Justice, brother-in-law of the incumbent president, issued a last-minute decision on 16 October allowing his nephew to run for vice president.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) - The Chief Justice of the Indonesian Constitutional Court (MK)[*] has been removed from office for violating the code of ethics after allowing President Joko Widodo's son to run for vice president.
Anwar Usman was found guilty by the Court's Honorary Council, also known as the Ethics Council and chaired by Jimly Asshiddiqie, a former head of the Constitutional Court.
Usman, who is the president's brother-in-law, violated the principles of impartiality, integrity, competence, equality, independence, adequacy and decency, Asshiddiqie said.
On 16 October, the Constitutional Court ruled that "anyone who has been elected by the people as mayor or district chief may participate in elections”. This allowed Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who at 36 does not meet the age requirement (40), to run for the post of vice president.
The son of President Jokowi, a former mayor of Solo (Central Java), will run alongside the Minister of Defence, General (Ret) Prabowo Subianto, who has been accused of human rights violations against pro-democracy activists in the 1990s.
The Honorary Council, composed of three judges and set up specifically after protests by various organisations and activists who accused Usman of nepotism, could not, however, revoke the Constitutional Court's ruling, because, as Asshiddiqie explained, the body is "only authorised by law to review breaches of the code of ethics."
At the same time, although Usman has been removed from his post as chief justice, he will still be able to serve on the Court under certain conditions; for example, he will not be able to be involved in rulings on electoral disputes and he will not be able to be re-appointed as Chief Justice for the remainder of his term until 2028.
Only one member of the council, Bintan R. Saragih, supported Usman's permanent dismissal. Meanwhile, the deputy head of the Constitutional Court has been instructed to select a new chief justice within 48 hours.
[*] Mahkamah Konstitusi.