Reconstructing Justice: The Role of Law No. 8 of 1981 in Upholding Equality Before the Law in Indonesia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31958/jisrah.v6i1.15669Kata Kunci:
Equality Before The Law, Legal Politics, Criminal Procedure LawAbstrak
This study investigates the legal-political formulation of the principle of equality before the law in Indonesia, as codified in Law No. 8 of 1981 on Criminal Procedure. Although the Constitution guarantees equal legal standing for all citizens, implementation remains hindered by institutional, cultural, and normative constraints. Using a normative juridical approach, this research is conducted through library-based methods, drawing on secondary legal materials such as statutory texts, academic literature, journals, and previous research. The primary legal source is Law No. 8 of 1981, analyzed to explore its alignment with justice, human rights protection, due process, and legal certainty. A qualitative descriptive analysis is employed to examine how this principle operates within the Indonesian criminal justice system. The findings reveal that while the law formally enshrines the principle of legal equality, practical enforcement often falls short. This gap highlights the need for harmonizing legislative intent with judicial and institutional practice to ensure fair treatment under the law for all citizens.
Referensi
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Fitrianggraeni, S., Fauziah, E. F., & Purnama, S. (2023). Dealing with Unsatisfactory Arbitral Awards: Observing the Grounds of Annulment of Arbitral Awards in Indonesia. Journal of International Arbitration, 40(Issue 6), 735–764. https://doi.org/10.54648/JOIA2023030
Halim, A., & Ammar, D. (2021). Analisis Perbandingan Azas-Azas Sistem Peradilan Isllam dan Indonesia. Kalam Keadilan : Jurnal Hukum, 9(2), 132–146.
Kobrusieva, Y., Leheza, Y. O., Rudoi, K., Shamara, O., & Chalavan, V. (2021). International Standards of Social Protection of Internally Displaced Persons: Administrative and Criminal Aspects. Jurnal Cita Hukum, 9(3), 461–484. https://doi.org/10.15408/jch.v9i3.23752
Manalu, F. H., Saraswati, R., & Yulida, D. (2023). Political Law Interpretation on President’s Refusal to Sign an Approved Bill with the House of Representatives. Jurnal Dinamika Hukum, 23(1), 37. https://doi.org/10.20884/1.jdh.2023.23.1.3267
Matheus, R., Janssen, M., & Janowski, T. (2021). Design Principles for Creating Digital Transparency in Government. Government Information Quarterly, 38(1), 101550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2020.101550
Nabilah, W., Putra, R., Afroo, F. A., Nurjanah, N., & Wahyuni, E. (2025). Between Protection and Permissiveness: A Fiqh Siyasah Reexamination of Marriage Dispensation in Indonesia. JURIS (Jurnal Ilmiah Syariah), 24(1), 137. https://doi.org/10.31958/juris.v24i1.11882
Pradijonrika, H. (2022). The Role of People’s Representatives Council and President Post the Amendment to Basis of the 1945 Law in The Establishment of Law. Journal of World Science, 1(11), 1063–1076. https://doi.org/10.58344/jws.v1i11.144
Ranubaya, F. A., Hexanno, S. A. D., Rangga, W. K., & Endi, Y. (2024). Enhancing Indonesian Nationalism: Exploring Archipelago and National Resilience (Social Philosophy Perspective). Jurnal Filsafat Indonesia, 7(1), 173–179. https://doi.org/10.23887/jfi.v7i1.68765
Rizal, D., Warman, A. B., Putri, D., Nabilah, W., & Octavia, N. A. (2024). Youth Of Indonesia: The Application of Soft Approach Method in Preventing Irhabiyah Thought in the Young Generation in West Sumatra. ICSIS Proceedings, 1(1 SE-Articles), 98–105. http://icsisproceedings.org/index.php/icsis/article/view/9
Setyawan, E., Yasin, A. A., & Dahlan, R. (2024). Legal Culture Review and Judicial Track Record of the Kesultanan Cirebon in the Manuscript Pepakem Jaksa Pepitu. Ijtihad : Jurnal Wacana Hukum Islam Dan Kemanusiaan, 24(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.18326/ijtihad.v24i1.1-21
Sonafist, Y., & Yuningsih, H. (2023). Islamic Law, the State, and Human Rights: The Contestation of Interfaith Marriage Discourse on Social Media in Indonesia. JURIS (Jurnal Ilmiah Syariah), 22(2), 381. https://doi.org/10.31958/juris.v22i2.10934
Srinivasan, K. (2019). Remaking More‐Than‐Human Society: Thought Experiments On Street Dogs As “Nature.” Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 44(2), 376–391. https://doi.org/10.1111/tran.12291
Widiarto, A. E., Hassan, M. S., Rusli, M. H. M., & Setiawan, E. B. (2025). The Authority Relationship of Central and Local Governments in Forming Laws and Regulations: Between Indonesia and Malaysia. Legality : Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum, 33(1), 148–167. https://doi.org/10.22219/ljih.v33i1.36629
Yunus, N. R., & Setiawan, R. (2024). The Enforcement Of Human Rights In The Constitution Of The Republic Of Indonesia. ELSIYASA: JOURNAL OF CONSTITUTIONAL LAW, 1(2), 68–86. https://doi.org/10.61341/el-siyasa/v1i2.007
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