Indonesia keeps death penalty despite execution hiatus
The country saw its last executions in 2016 of four drug trafficking convicts. While Indonesia has maintained a hiatus on new executions, the death penalty remains legal, although the new KUHP, which took effect in January, marks a shift in the legal framework by classifying it as a “special punishment” to be imposed only as a last resort.
Indonesia maintains the death penalty despite a ten-year hiatus since the last execution in 2016. The country recently passed a new Criminal Code (KUHP) in January, which designates the death penalty as a "special punishment" to be used only as a last resort. Courts continue to sentence prisoners to death, but the new code requires it to be a possible alternative to life or fixed-term imprisonment.
Judges may grant a 10-year probation period, during which a prisoner's sentence could be commuted if they exhibit exemplary behavior. As of April 2026, 639 individuals, including nine women, were on death row in Indonesia, up from 596 in August 2025. Drug offenses accounted for the most cases, with 441 individuals, followed by murder (165) and robbery (nine).
Human rights advocates have expressed concerns about the use of death sentences for drug-related crimes, arguing that the death penalty should only be applied for "the most serious crimes." According to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), drug offenses do not meet this threshold.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
