President Expresses Condolences Over Adnan Buyung Nasution's Demise

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - President Joko Widodo expressed his condolences over the demise of Adnan Buyung Nasution, a well-known human rights activist and senior lawyer, on Wednesday.

According to Cabinet Secretary Pramono Agung's statement received here on Wednesday, President Joko Widodo was informed about Nasution's demise after he landed at Syamsuddin Noor Airport, Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan.

"I express my deepest condolences over the demise of Adnan Buyung Nasution and hope his family will remain strong," the president affirmed.

The president stated that Nasution was a national leader and a human rights activist.

"May Allah forgive his sins and grant him a place in heaven," the president noted.

Earlier, senior lawyer Nasution passed away at Pondok Indah Hospital in South Jakarta at 10:17 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

The news of his death was received in the form of a text message sent by a member of the Presidential Communication Team Ari Dwipayana, who said that Nasution passed away while he was admitted for treatment at the Pondok Indah Hospital's Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Besides Dwipayana, Industry Minister Saleh Husin also sent a text message about the same sad news.

Born in Batavia (now Jakarta) on July 20, 1934, Nasution had been active in the field of law since his youth.

        As the pioneer of legal aid and law reforms in Indonesia, Nasution gained his bachelor's degree in law from the University of Indonesia, International Law degree from the University of Melbourne, doctorate degree from Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht in the Netherlands, and the Professor of Law from Melbourne Law School, the University of Melbourne in Australia.

He worked as a public prosecutor at the Special District Court of Jakarta during the 1957-1961 period.

During the period between 1962 and 1968, he was the head of public relations and politics at the Attorney General's Office.

Simultaneously, he was also a member of the Indonesian Parliament during the period between 1966 and 1968.

In 1969, he was admitted to the Bar as an advocate, and he founded the law firm Adnan Buyung Nasution and Associates, which became the basis of the present firm.

A year later, in 1970, he established the Legal Aid Institute (LBH), the first legal aid and human rights organization in Indonesia.

In 1999, he held the position of vice chairman of the Indonesian Election Commission (KPU), which conducted the first general elections in the reform era.

He also became a member of the Presidential Advisory Council of the Republic of Indonesia in 2007-2009. (WDY)