Criminal Liability of Police Officers for Torture in Indonesia: From Ratification Gap to Article 530
Polda Sulawesi Utara
Universitas Bhayangkara Surabaya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56943/jlte.v5i4.1129This study analyzes the criminal liability of police officers for torture in Indonesia and asks why ratification of the Convention against Torture (CAT) did not produce effective accountability. It also assesses whether Article 530 of Law Number 1 of 2023 and the surrounding institutions now suffice. The study uses normative legal research with statutory, conceptual, and analytical approaches. The analysis tests the elements of Article 1 of the CAT against the former Criminal Code, Law Number 26 of 2000, and Article 530, and it examines defenses, procedural safeguards, ethics proceedings, and oversight bodies. The analysis indicates that, until January 2026, Indonesian law had no offense of torture, so officers were prosecuted under general assault and coercion provisions that did not reflect the purpose or official capacity that define torture. Article 530 closes much of this gap but differs from the Convention on severity, the mental element, the penalty ceiling, and the exclusion of defenses. Remaining obstacles include the good-faith plea of subordinates, unclear liability of superiors, weak protection against coerced evidence, the practical substitution of ethics hearings for prosecution, and the lack of an independent investigative body. The study recommends amending Article 530, excluding statements obtained by torture, referring credible allegations for criminal investigation, creating an independent police complaints body, and protecting victims and witnesses.
Keywords: Article 530 Convention Against Torture Criminal Liability Impunity Police Officers
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