Page 167 - Demo

150Islam, Democracy and Human Rights in Contemporary IndonesiaWhile in Italy, we visited Pisa, the birthplace of Galileo Galilei(15 February 1564), and saw the Leaning Tower of Pisa, one ofthe Wonders of the World. When in Rome, I was reminded thatit was the very city where Galileo was tried by the CatholicChurch%u2019s Inquisition in 1633.On our journey from Pisa back to Rome, we passed throughthe hills south of Florence, in Arcetri, where a villa known asVilla Il Gioiello still stands. It was in that villa that Galileo servedhis house arrest from 1633 until he died in 1642.Our trip to Italy and the Netherlands was, among otherthings, based on the suggestion of Amnesty International (AI)that Indonesia become the first country to ratify the RomeStatute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).However, the Government of Indonesia needed to actcarefully and prudently, considering national interests.Moreover, Indonesia had already begun to adopt the standards,norms, and legal definitions contained in the Rome Statutethrough the Law on Human Rights Courts No. 26 of 2000.In conclusion, Galileo Galilei%u2019s sacrifice centuries ago shouldserve as a profound reminder %u2014 enough for the Supreme Courtto annul Article 47 of Government Regulation No. 28 of 2022,so that no citizen shall ever again suffer the same fate as Galileo%u2014 banned indefinitely by authority, dying under the weight ofoppressive power.To close these expert reflections, allow me to quote one ofGalileo Galilei%u2019s most memorable sayings %u2014 perhaps writtenduring his torment, before his death:%u201cIn science, the authority of thousands of opinions is notworth as much as one tiny spark of reason in an individualman.%u201d