Reconstruction of Criminal Liability for Blood Trading Practices Based on the Principle of Legal Certainty

Nasrullah (Doctoral Program in Law at Al Washliyah Muslim Nusantara University)
Wirandi Dalimunthe (Doctoral Program in Law at Al Washliyah Muslim Nusantara University)
Rizky Azhar Saragih (Doctoral Program in Law at Al Washliyah Muslim Nusantara University)
Indra Kurniyawan (Doctoral Program in Law at Al Washliyah Muslim Nusantara University)
Muhammad Ridwan Lubis (Faculty of Law, Al Washliyah Muslim Nusantara University)

Journal Juris Sinergi
Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): Law, Governance, and Contemporary Social Challenges (in progres)

The practice of buying and selling human blood raises legal issues that extend beyond violations of the prohibition on the commercialisation of human blood. It also concerns legal certainty in the framework of criminal liability and the protection of healthcare service delivery. Although Law No. 17 of 2023 on Health and Law No. 1 of 2023 concerning the Indonesian Criminal Code establish prohibitions and prescribe criminal penalties in relation to such practices, further harmonisation of legal provisions, clarification of the constituent elements of the offence, and consistency in the imposition of sanctions remain necessary. This study aims to analyse the legal framework governing the prohibition of blood trading and to reconstruct a law enforcement model grounded in the principle of legal certainty. The study employs normative juridical research methods, adopting descriptive-analytical and prescriptive approaches. The research encompasses statutory, conceptual, and case-law approaches. Primary legal materials consist of legislation and judicial decisions, while secondary legal materials include books, scholarly journal articles, and relevant legal doctrines. The materials are analysed qualitatively through statutory interpretation and the harmonisation of legal provisions. The findings indicate that the principal challenges in law enforcement arise from potential regulatory overlap, the lack of clear boundaries between the commercial trading of blood and legitimate blood-processing charges, and the need for consistency in determining criminal liability. Accordingly, a reconstruction of the existing legal framework is required through the harmonisation of legal norms, clearer specification of the constituent elements of the offence, strengthened interinstitutional coordination, and the proportionate imposition of criminal sanctions. These measures are essential to establishing a law enforcement system that ensures legal certainty while safeguarding blood donors, patients, and the sustainability of blood transfusion services.