FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND ITS LIMITATIONS: RECONSTRUCTION OF THE REGULATION OF SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW

MOHAMMAD MAHMUDI (Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Al Mujtama Pamekasan)
Habibus Shalihin (Direktur LBH Surabaya)
Fathor Rahman (Universitas Merdeka Malang)

Res Nullius Law Journal
Vol. 8 No. 2 (2026): Volume 8 No. 2 Juli 2026

Freedom of association is a constitutional right guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia as a fundamental element of democracy and the rule of law. Civil society organizations represent a concrete manifestation of this right and serve as an important channel for public participation in social and political life. However, in constitutional practice, the exercise of freedom of association does not always conform to constitutional values. Various deviations in the activities of civil society organizations that potentially disturb public order and citizens’ sense of security indicate weaknesses in the existing regulatory and supervisory framework. This study aims to examine the constitutional limitations of freedom of association and to formulate a reconstruction of the regulation of civil society organizations from a constitutional law perspective. The research employs a normative legal research method, using a statutory approach, a conceptual approach, and a case approach. The statutory approach is applied to analyze constitutional provisions and legislation governing civil society organizations, the conceptual approach is used to examine doctrines of freedom of association and its limitations within a democratic rule-of-law framework, while the case approach focuses on relevant decisions of the Constitutional Court. The study finds that freedom of association is not an absolute right but one that entails social and constitutional responsibilities. Accordingly, the state has a constitutional obligation to regulate this freedom proportionally in order to balance the protection of human rights with the public interest. The reconstruction of the regulatory framework should emphasize responsible freedom of association, strengthen mechanisms for establishment and supervision, and ensure law enforcement based on the principle of due process of law. A constitutionally grounded reconstruction is expected to reinforce the role of civil society organizations as constructive pillars of democracy and the rule of law in Indonesia.