Indonesia enforces new penal code, replacing Dutch-era law after 80 years

The first sunrise of 2026 seen from the of Borobudur Temple. The penal code change marks a new beginning. Pic/Getty Images

Indonesia on Friday began enforcing its newly ratified penal code, replacing a Dutch-era criminal law that governed the country for more than 80 years.

Since proclaiming independence in 1945, the Southeast Asian country had continued to operate under a colonial framework widely criticised as outdated and misaligned with Indonesia's social values. Efforts to revise the code stalled for decades as lawmakers debated how to balance human rights, religious norms and local traditions in the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation.

The 345-page Indonesian Penal Code, known as the KUHP, was passed in 2022. It criminalises sex outside marriage, applies to citizens and foreign visitors, and reintroduces penalties for insulting the president and state institutions.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever