Indonesia in the Face of the Death Penalty – Hopes Versus Reality

The right to life, without a doubt, is the most essential right of every human being. Protection and respect for this right is a prerequisite for enjoying and realizing other rights guaranteed to the individual. However, it is not an absolute right, but one that, under various circumstances, can be restricted. One such restriction is the death penalty. Many countries have decided to abolish it; however, only three countries in Southeast Asia, namely Cambodia, the Philippines, and East Timor, have decided. While Indonesia guarantees the right to life, it does allow the death penalty. Although the death penalty has not been carried out for several years, the death penalty has been retained in the criminal code, and courts continue to award it. The public (especially the young) is increasingly advocating its complete abolition, but those in power do not seem interested. The death penalty is also left in the new criminal code. This article is about the death penalty in Indonesia. The author also decided to survey Indonesian students to find out their attitudes toward the death penalty.

REFERENCES:

• Akbari, A. R. (2022, September 5). Finding certainty in an uncertain Indonesian death penalty. https://360info.org/finding-certainty-in-an-uncertain-indonesian-death-penalty/
• Buchanan, K. (2022). Indonesia: New Criminal Code Passed by Parliament. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/global-legal-monitor/2022–12–11/indonesia-new-criminal-code-passedby-parliament/
• Case Number 065/PUU-II/2004. https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/6f9653/pdf/
• Case of Soering v. the United Kingdom. Application no. 14038/88. https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22i temid%22:[%22001–57619%22]}
• Child Protection Law No. 23/2002. https://www2.congreso.gob.pe/sicr/cendocbib/con4_uibd.nsf/E67F49F7CC441622052580330075862B/$FILE/ANNEX-3-Laws-of-child_protection.pdf
• Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. https://biblioteka.sejm.gov.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Konstytucja_Indonezji.pdf
• Constitutional Court Decision Number 2–3/PUU-V/2007. https://www.hr-dp.org/files/2013/09/23/IndoConst-court-decision-on-DP-Oct-2007.pdf
• The Court Verdict for the case number 2–3/PUU-V/2007, 378–379.
• Death Penalty Information Center. https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/
• Eddyono, S. W. (2018). Death Penalty Policy in Indonesia. Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR). https://icjr.or.id/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DEATH-PENALTY-POLICY-final-1.pdf
• Emergency Law No. 12/1951. https://jdihn.go.id/files/4/1951uut012.pdf
• Final Report of the International People’s Tribunal on Crimes Against Humanity in Indonesia. (1965).
• Gawlikowski, K., Jelonek, A., & Smulski J. (2004). Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. In K. Gawlikowski & M. Ławacz (Eds.), East Asia at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. Political and Social Transformations.
• Hamid, U. (2021). Death penalty false cure for the ailing Indonesian justice system. https://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2021/04/20/death-penalty-false-cure-for-ailing-indonesian-justicesystem.html
• The House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia. https://www.dpr.go.id/en
• Hoyle, C., Jabbar, P. (2021, October 8). Indonesians’ support for the death penalty declines with more rigorous survey methods. https://www.socsci.ox.ac.uk/article/indonesians-support-for-the-deathpenalty-declines-with-more-rigorous-survey-methods
• Human Rights Act. https://www.refworld.org/docid/4da2ce862.html
• Human Rights Courts Act, No. 26/2000. https://www.dpr.go.id/dokjdih/document/uu/UU_2000_26.pdf
• Indonesia, Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/south-eastasia-and-the-pacific/indonesia/and Indonesia, HRW. https://www.hrw.org/asia/indonesia
• Indonesia, CIA. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/indonesia/summaries
• Indonesia: detention conditions of people sentenced to death. (2022). Prison Insider. https://www.prisoninsider.com/en/articles/indonesie-conditions-de-detention-des-condamnes-a-mort
• Indonesia Joint Stakeholder Report. https://www.ecpm.org/app/uploads/2022/04/OK-Seminaire-EPUIndonesie-16p-130422-MD-Page.pdf
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. (1977). Journal of Laws, 38(167). https://amnesty.org.pl/wpcontent/uploads/2016/04/Miedzynarodowy_Pakt_Praw_Obywatelskich_i_Politycznych.pdf
• Law on Combating Criminal Acts of Terrorism, No. 15/2003. https://centralauthority.kemenkumham.go.id/images/PDFmedia/8_Amendment_to_the_Law_No_15_2003_Concerning_Eradication_of_the_Criminal_Act_of_Terrorism_Law_No_5_2018.pdf
• McGregor, K. E. (2009).The Indonesian Killings of 1965–66. https://www.sciencespo.fr/mass-violencewar-massacre-resistance/fr/document/indonesian-killings-1965–1966.html
• McRae, D. (2017). Indonesian Capital Punishment in Comparative Perspective. Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia. https://brill.com/view/journals/bki/173/1/article-p1_1.xml?language=en
• Military Criminal Code. https://www.dilmiltama.go.id/home/e-journal/PERBEDAANPASAL126KUHPMDANPASAL127KUHPM.pdf
• Narcotics Law 27/1997. http://fileserver.idpc.net/library/Indonesia%20Narcotics%20Law%202009%20Eng.pdf
• Narcotics Law, No. 35/2009. http://www.flevin.com/id/lgso/translations/JICA%20Mirror/english/4868_UU_35_2009_e.html
• Nowicki, M. (1998). What are human rights. In School of Human Rights (vol. 1). HFPC.
• Penal Code of Indonesia, International Labor Organization. ilo.org/documents
• Presidential Decree No. 5/PNPS/1959. https://www.dpr.go.id/dokjdih/document/uu/1332.pdf
• Presiden Joko Widodo. https://www.presidenri.go.id/presiden-joko-widodo/
• Przybyszewska-Szter, B. (2008). Freedoms and personal rights. In M. Chmaj (Ed.), Wolności i prawa człowieka w Konstytucji Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. Warsaw.
• Rancangan undang-undang Republic Indonesia nomor ... Tahun ... Tentang kitab undang-undang hukum pidana dengan rahmat tuhan yang maha esa. https://perma.cc/3C6U-CKSS
• RCEP Agreement enters into force for Indonesia, ASEAN. https://asean.org/rcep-agreement-enters-intoforce-for-indonesia/
• Salam, A. J., & Karim, Z. P. (2021). Death Penalty in Indonesia: Revisiting the Debate Between the Retentionist and the Abolitionist. Lentera Hukum, 8(1), 115–150. https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/385072-death-penalty-in-indonesia-revisiting-th-206d932d.pdf
• Simandjuntak, D. (2015). Spectacle of the Scaffold? The Politics of Death Penalty in Indonesia.“Perspective”, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute share their understanding of current events, 46. https://www.iseas.edu.sg/images/pdf/ISEAS_Perspective_2015_46.pdf
• Strangjo, S. (2022).Indonesia Summons UN Official Over Criticisms of Revised Criminal Code. https://thediplomat.com/2022/12/indonesia-summons-un-official-over-criticisms-of-revised-criminal-code/
• United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Annex to No. 15 OJ No. 69 of February 20, 1995.
• Ustawa o korupcji nr 20/2001. http://www.flevin.com/id/lgso/translations/Laws/Law%20No.%2020%20of%202001%20on%20the%20Amendment%20of%20Law%20No.%2031%20of%201999%20on%20Corruption%20Eradication.pdf
• Wakil Presiden Ma’ruf Amin. https://www.presidenri.go.id/wakil-presiden-maruf-amin/
• Yustikaningrum, R. (2019). Death Penalty in Indonesia: What and Why? Is it not against the Universal Human Rights Principle. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339377104_Death_Penalty_in_Indonesia_What_and_Why_Is_it_not_against_Universal_Human_Right_Principle