Manokwari – The Indonesian Criminal Law and Criminology Society (Mahupiki) again carried out socialization activities for Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code (KUHP) at the Swissbel Manokwari Hotel, West Papua, on Wednesday (8/2/2023). In opening the socialization, Secretary General of MAHUPIKI Dr. Ahmad Sofyan said the socialization of the New Criminal Code in Manokwari was held in cooperation and collaboration between MAHUPIKI and the University of Papua.
“This activity is designed not only to disseminate to the public but also to have direct dialogue with the compilers of the New Criminal Code. This activity can also straighten out a number of substances that are still considered doubtful so that people get a comprehensive understanding of the New Criminal Code,” he said.
The University of Papua positively welcomed the socialization of the New Criminal Code in Manokwari. The Chancellor of the University of Papua, Dr. Melky Sagrim stressed that the public needs to know the New Criminal Code so that people understand what is prohibited or not in the Criminal Code.
“It is important to socialize the Criminal Code by continuing with the Training of Trainers (TOT) so that each stakeholder can socialize it to the community down to the lower level so that people, especially in West Papua, can understand Holistic about the New Criminal Code,” he said.
They also think that the Criminal Code cannot be separated from human rights. In this case, race, skin color, gender, language, and religion are all given from God and there is no need to question them.
“Live in an orderly and orderly manner in accordance with the new Criminal Code so that you can carry out your daily life properly,” he concluded.
Present as a guest speaker Professor of Criminal Law at the University of Jember, Prof. Dr. M. Arief Amrullah, SH, M.Hum, Professor of Criminal Law at Padjadjaran University, Prof. Dr. Romli Atmasasmita, SH, LL.M., and Diponegoro University Professor of Criminal Law, Prof. Dr. Pujiyono, SH. M. Hum.
Professor of Criminal Law at the University of Jember, Prof. Dr. M. Arief Amrullah, SH, M.Hum, also explained that Indonesia can now be proud of itself because it has a New Criminal Code or National Criminal Code where previously more than 100 years of the Criminal Code products from the Netherlands had been in force in Indonesia. Currently, Indonesia has Law no. 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code. The New Criminal Code was ratified on January 2, 2023, consisting of Book I and Book II, with a total of 624 articles.
“The renewal of the National Criminal Code contains a balance between the interests of society and individual interests or what is known as a mono-dualistic balance, in which criminal law pays attention to the objective aspect of the act, as well as the subjective aspect of the perpetrator,” said Prof. Arief.
Meanwhile, Diponegoro University Professor of Criminal Law, Prof. Dr. Pujiyono, SH. M.Hum., discussed a number of actual issues in the New Criminal Code or the National Criminal Code, including living law or customary law, abortion, contraception, adultery, cohabitation, obscenity, crimes against religion or beliefs and crimes related to freedom of expression.
“The customary criminal law or customary offenses that apply are based on empirical research and will form the basis for the formation of regional regulations (Perda). The applicable customary criminal law (delik adat) is based on empirical research and will form the basis for the establishment of regional regulations,” said Prof. Pujiyono.
On the same occasion, Professor of Criminal Law at Padjadjaran University, Prof. Dr. Romli Atmasasmita, SH, LL.M., underlined that Indonesia is trying to renew the Indonesian criminal law system by compiling a draft bill which was first carried out in 1964 through Book I to 2015 by issuing a draft Book II which has a total of 24 draft bills. The Indonesian government also first formed a RKUHP drafting team in 1983 led by Prof. Sudarto, SH
“Throughout this period, 13 Ministers of Justice/Ministers of Law and Human Rights were involved in the formulation of the RKUHP. This shows that the preparation or formulation of the RKUHP has been carried out for a long time by carrying out a series of considerations,” said Prof. Romli.
