Publisher

IJBLEIJBLE

Journal International Journal of Business, Law, and EducationInternational Journal of Business, Law, and Education Abstract

Freedom of expression constitutes a constitutionally protected right under the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. Nevertheless, its implementation continues to encounter significant challenges, particularly due to the existence of vague criminal provisions that generate legal uncertainty and create the risk of criminalizing legitimate expressions. This issue became central to the judicial review of Articles 14 and 15 of Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning Criminal Law Regulations, culminating in Constitutional Court Decision Number 78/PUU-XXI/2023. This study aims to examine the Constitutional Courts legal reasoning and to analyze the juridical implications of the decision for the protection of freedom of expression in Indonesia. Employing normative legal research, this study applies statutory, conceptual, and case approaches. The analysis is conducted qualitatively on primary, secondary, and tertiary legal materials. The findings indicate that the Court emphasized that any restriction on freedom of expression must meet the requirements of clarity, precision, and proportionality. The Court held that ambiguous criminal norms violate the principles of legal certainty (lex certa) and constitutional protection of rights. Consequently, the Court declared the contested provisions unconstitutional and legally non-binding. The decision establishes a constitutional benchmark for assessing other restrictive criminal norms, including those contained in the new Criminal Code and the amended Electronic Information and Transactions (EIT) Law. Thus, the ruling reinforces constitutional safeguards for freedom of expression and provides normative guidance for legislators and law enforcement authorities in formulating and implementing criminal law policies.

Conclusion

Constitutional Court Decision Number 78/PUU-XXI/2023 affirms that criminal norms restricting freedom of expression must not be vague, upholding the principles of legal certainty and constitutional guarantees.The decision establishes constitutional standards for limiting freedom of expression, emphasizing legality, legitimate purpose, necessity, and proportionality.The ruling has significant juridical implications for criminal law enforcement, requiring the discontinuation of prosecutions based on the annulled provisions and potentially enabling restorative measures.

Future Research

Penelitian lebih lanjut perlu dilakukan untuk mengkaji efektivitas implementasi putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi dalam praktik penegakan hukum, khususnya terkait dengan interpretasi pasal-pasal karet dalam KUHP baru dan UU ITE yang direvisi. Selain itu, studi komparatif dapat dilakukan dengan negara-negara lain yang memiliki sistem hukum serupa untuk mengidentifikasi praktik terbaik dalam melindungi kebebasan berekspresi tanpa mengorbankan ketertiban umum. Terakhir, penelitian perlu dilakukan untuk mengeksplorasi dampak putusan ini terhadap partisipasi publik dalam diskusi politik dan potensi penurunan efek mendinginkan (chilling effect) terhadap aktivisme sipil dan jurnalisme investigasi, dengan mempertimbangkan dinamika media sosial dan platform digital lainnya.

References

1. Juridical Implications of Constitutional Court Decision Number 78/PUU-XXI/2023 on Freedom of Expression... ijble.com/index.php/journal/article/view/1391Juridical Implications of Constitutional Court Decision Number 78 PUU XXI 2023 on Freedom of Expression ijble index php journal article view 1391

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