Journal of Law, Poliitic and Humanities
Vol. 6 No. 6 (2026): (JLPH) Journal of Law, Politic and Humanities

Legal Certainty Regarding the Probationary Period for the Death Penalty under Law No. 1 of 2023 on The Criminal Code

Sahat Wahyu Febrianto Hasibuan (Master’s degree programme in Law, Universitas Esa Unggul, Jakarta, Indonesia)
Helvis (Master’s degree programme in Law, Universitas Esa Unggul, Jakarta, Indonesia)
Malemna Sura Anabertha Sembiring (Master’s degree programme in Law, Universitas Esa Unggul, Jakarta, Indonesia)
Idris Wasahua (Master’s degree programme in Law, Universitas Esa Unggul, Jakarta, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
15 Sep 2026

Abstract

This study is motivated by the revision of the death penalty provisions in Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, which introduces a ten-year probationary period as a condition for the possible commutation of the death penalty to life imprisonment. Although this provision reflects a more humanistic paradigm of punishment, it still raises issues of legal certainty, particularly regarding the indicators of “praiseworthy conduct and behavior” and the mechanisms for evaluating them. This study employs Gustav Radbruch theory of legal certainty as its primary framework, supported by the theory of legal protection and the concept of the purposes of punishment. The research method used is a normative-empirical legal study employing legislative, conceptual, and comparative approaches. Data collection was conducted through literature review, document analysis, and analysis of relevant legislation and legal materials. The results of the study indicate that the provision regarding the probationary period for the death penalty in Article 100 of Law No. 1 of 2023 represents a form of criminal law reform that prioritizes a balance between legal certainty, justice, and public interest. However, the lack of objective parameters regarding the assessment of a convicted person’s behavior, evaluation procedures, and the authority of the relevant agencies has the potential to lead to multiple interpretations and inconsistencies in the application of the law. Therefore, further regulations are needed that clearly outline indicators, mechanisms, and implementation procedures to ensure legal certainty in the application of the probationary period for the death penalty.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

JLPH

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Social Sciences

Description

Journal of Law, Poliitic and Humanities is a research journal in Law, Humanities and Politics published since 2020 by the Dinasti Research. This journal aims to disseminate research results to academics, practitioners, students, and other parties who are interested in the fields of Law, Humanities ...