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

Authors

  • 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

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38035/jlph.v6i6.3760

Keywords:

Legal Certainty, The Death Penalty, Probation, Article 100 of the National Criminal Code

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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Published

2026-09-15

How to Cite

Febrianto Hasibuan, S. W., Helvis, Anabertha Sembiring, M. S., & Wasahua, I. (2026). Legal Certainty Regarding the Probationary Period for the Death Penalty under Law No. 1 of 2023 on The Criminal Code. Journal of Law, Politic and Humanities, 6(6), 4767–4783. https://doi.org/10.38035/jlph.v6i6.3760

Issue

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

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Sahat Wahyu Febrianto Hasibuan, Helvis, Malemna Sura Anabertha Sembiring, Idris Wasahua

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