Chief Justice Suhartoyo giving a speech at a book launch event at the Law Faculty of the Indonesian Islamic University, Saturday (3/9/2024) in Yogyakarta. Photo by MKRI/Agung.

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YOGYAKARTA (MKRI) — Chief Justice Suhartoyo officially opened a review event of his book entitled Kompilasi dan Abstrak Hukum Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi: KUHAP, KUHP dan Tindak Pidana di Luar KUHP (Compilation and Legal Abstract of the Constitutional Court Decisions: Criminal Procedure Code, Criminal Code, and Crimes outside the Criminal Code). This event took place in the mini auditorium, fourt floor of the Law Faculty of the Indonesian Islamic University (UII) Yogyakarta on Saturday, March 9, 2024.

Chief Justice Suhartoyo, in his speech, said that this book stemmed from his concern when he was assigned by the chief justice of the Constitutional Court to law enforcement institutions. Among others, he was assigned to speak at the National Police headquarters (Mabes Polri), the Regional Police headquarters, for advocates, and even in the Supreme Court (MA).

“It turns out that in those environment, many Police officers especially investigators, prosecutors, advocates, and Supreme Court officers who do not understand about the Constitutional Court decisions relating to the norms inherent in the Criminal Procedure Code, the Criminal Code, and outside the Criminal Code, including the procedural law in the Criminal Procedure Code. “For me, this is quite worrying,” he said about the background of the book, which was released in 2023.

He believes this compilation is an instrument for the Police, prosecutors, and advocates because it concerns intersection between those professions. Many law enforcers do not understand about the Constitutional Court decisions related to regulations that might have deprived people of their rights. Many law enforces implemented regulations that deprive people of their freedom, but are not aware that many provisions have changed because of the Court’s decisions.

In front of the participants, Chief Justice Suhartoyo also said that he became chief justice of the Constitutional Court when the Court was not in good condition. He has a homework to restore public trust in the Court. Therefore, he appealed to all parties to help each other restore trust in the Court.

Meanwhile Secretary-General Heru Setiawan said in his report that the book was compiled by a constitutional justice who examine, decide, and adjudicate constitutional cases, especially judicial review of laws. This book is very important because it comes directly from a judicial authority.

Heru said this event was the Court’s commitment to encourage law universities to conduct research regarding Constitutional Court decisions in various fields. This will make Indonesia a legal laboratory that will be a reference for academia, both nationally and internationally.

This book review is presented by experts with multiple perspectives, that is, constitutional law, criminal law, and criminal procedure. Hanafi Amrani will review it from the perspective of criminal procedure. Mahrus Ali will review it from the perspective of criminal law. Next, Jamaludin Ghafur will review it from the perspective of protection of citizens’ constitutional rights. All three are UII lecturers.

During the book review, reviewer Mahrus Ali said that this book was useful not only for practitioners but also for academics and students. The public who might not have known Constitutional Court decisions relating to criminal law may learn from this book, which is very easy to understand.

“To make this book more systematic and enjoyable to read, it should [divide] the material of criminal law into criminal law, formal criminal law, and executorial criminal law. Maybe it would be better if its format is based on criminal law,” he said. 

Author       : Utami Argawati
Editor        : Nur R.
Translator  : Jessica Rivena Meilania/Yuniar W. (NL)

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian versions, the Indonesian version will prevail.

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