Indonesian Law Journal
Vol. 19 No. 1 (2026): Indonesian Law Journal Volume 19 No 1, 2026

Legal Availability and Limits of Restorative Justice in Unlawful Sustainable Food Agricultural Land Conversion: A Complementarity Perspective

Relys Sandi (Universitas Kristen Cipta Wacana)
Muhammad Akmal Syawal (Airlangga University)
Fidela Dzatadini Wahyudi (Universitas Kristen Cipta Wacana)
Tuti Handayan (Universitas Kristen Cipta Wacana)
Gasper Doroh (Universitas Kristen Cipta Wacana)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Oct 2026

Abstract

The unlawful conversion of Sustainable Food Agricultural Land (SFAL/LP2B) into commercial residential housing poses a critical legal problem, as retributive criminal justice fails to restore damaged land functions. While scholarship often views Restorative Justice (RJ) as a universal alternative, a research gap exists regarding its doctrinal limits in environmental-agrarian offenses. Utilizing normative legal methods, this study examines RJ under Law No. 41 of 2009, Law No. 6 of 2023, Perma No. 1 of 2024, and Perpol No. 8 of 2021. Findings demonstrate that RJ cannot be universally applied. Under the principle of complementarity, RJ functions strictly as a pre-litigation procedural tool available to vulnerable smallholder farmers, while commercial developers are categorically excluded and subject to formal prosecution under Article 72(1). Applying RJ to eligible smallholders strictly enforces mandatory statutory land restoration duties under Articles 55 and 73, safeguarding national food security.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

ILJ

Publisher

Subject

Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Description

Indonesian Law Journal (ILJ) is a peer-reviewed journal published in English and devoted primarily to disseminate scientific articles and analysis of issues in law and legal studies from academicians, researchers, observers, practitioners, all pattrons in ...