Law of Indonesia

Module 8

Criminal justice, natural resources and international law: the new Criminal Code, the new Criminal Procedure Code, trials and sentencing, environmental and natural resources law, arbitration, foreign judgments and treaties

Indonesia’s criminal justice system was transformed on 2 January 2026, when the new Criminal Code (Law 1 of 2023) and the new Criminal Procedure Code (Law 20 of 2025) took effect, replacing the Dutch-era Penal Code of 1918 and the 1981 Procedure Code. Because the reform is very recent and implementing rules were still being developed, this module teaches the structure and the main ideas and tells the student to check the current text. The module then turns to natural resources and the environment, which Article 33 of the Constitution places under state control for the people’s benefit, and to international law: arbitration, the fact that foreign court judgments are not enforced in Indonesia, treaties and the archipelagic state. For a foreigner the practical questions are: what offences can affect me, what rights do I have if I am arrested, and how do I resolve a business dispute or enforce a decision?

General education on the law of Indonesia, using invented people and businesses. It states laws and procedures in simplified form and is not legal advice. The law and its practice change, and every case turns on its facts, the region and the authority concerned. It does not offer legal representation or a legal opinion on any case. Consult an Indonesian advocate for any real matter.

This course was written on 5 November 2026. To the best of our knowledge, it describes the law of Indonesia as it stood on that date. Laws change, and we may have missed or misunderstood something. If you notice a change, or have other information, please do not hesitate to contact us: we will review it and update the course. We do not claim to be the final source of the law.