Indonesia’s election commission has fired its chairman after finding him guilty of sexual assault following a complaint by an employee.
The Ethics Council of the General Election Commission said its chairman, Hasyim Asyari, committed the attack in October and that it had “fully” accepted the accuser’s complaint, according to the chairman of the commission’s honorary council.
The woman, identified only by her initials, worked at the Commission’s office in The Hague, Netherlands, and said Asyari asked her to come to his hotel room during his visit.
In its ruling, the commission stated that it had been proven that Asyari had “exploited his power and abused state institutions to fulfil his personal desires”.
In April, another woman filed a sexual harassment complaint against Asyari and the Ethics Council issued him a “stern warning.”
The youngest prosecutor attended the commission’s hearing in the capital Jakarta on Wednesday.
It is unclear whether the woman intends to file a report with the police.
“From the beginning until today, I have experienced many ups and downs,” she told reporters after the verdict.
“I want to inspire all victims in similar cases, especially women, to be brave and fight for justice.”
In a brief statement at a press conference, Asyari said he accepted the election commission’s decision.
He did not comment on the case.
The Indonesian parliament passed a far-reaching law in 2022 that sets the punishment for sexual violence and guarantees compensation or other remedies for victims and survivors.
The National Commission against Violence against Women recorded 289,111 cases in 2023, including about 4,179 cases of sexual violence in Indonesia.
Data shows that the number has dropped by about 12 percent compared to 2022.