Expert Examination for 6 Challenges to New Criminal Code Postponed at Constitutional Court
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Constitutional Court (MK) has postponed the hearing for expert and witness examinations in six cases of material review of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, or the new Criminal Code, held in the MK building courtroom, Jakarta, on Monday.
The postponement was made at the request of the petitioners, read out by the legal counsel for petitioner Priskila Oktaviani for case No. 275/PUU-XXIII/2025; No. 280/PUU-XXIII/2025; No. 282/PUU/XXIII/2025 and No. 26/PUU/XXIV/2026; No. 27/PUU/XXIV/2026 as well as No. 29/PUU-XXIV/2026.
In the hearing attended by representatives from the House of Representatives (DPR RI) and the President, presided over by MK Chief Justice Suhartoyo, he allowed the petitioners’ legal counsel to provide their statements.
“Very well, the agenda for this afternoon’s hearing should be to hear the expert testimony from the petitioners. How about it, counsel?” asked Suhartoyo.
In response to the judge’s question, the petitioners’ legal counsel stated that the expert examination for those six cases would be conducted jointly all at once on 11 May 2026.
“With permission, Your Honour, regarding what Your Honour mentioned in the last hearing, for swift justice, we request that our experts be combined all at once on 11 May for the 6 cases, Your Honour,” said Priskila.
In response to the request, MK Chief Justice Suhartoyo said he could not accommodate the petitioners’ request to postpone the expert examination to 11 May, as the hearings were already scheduled systematically.
The expert examination hearing for the six challenges to the New Criminal Code could be scheduled for 18 May.
“That we cannot fulfil, the panel of judges will fulfil it, because we have already scheduled it for 18 May. All hearings are sequential in the system, so it’s difficult if they then jump around,” said Suhartoyo.
Hearing the panel of judges’ explanation, the petitioners’ counsel agreed to hold the expert examination hearing for the six cases on 18 May 2026.
“Yes, 18 May, then don’t bring too many at once. Perhaps a maximum of three first,” requested Suhartoyo.
In response, Priskila said that they planned to bring three experts for those 6 cases on 18 May.
“Yes, we plan to bring three experts, Your Honour, for all the cases,” said Priskila.
Justice Suhartoyo approved the petitioners’ request.
“Oh, so three experts for all of them (cases) on 18 May 2026, Monday at 10:30 WIB. The expert statements should be submitted no later than two working days before the hearing is held,” said Suhartoyo.
He also reminded the petitioners and their counsel that if bringing experts from academia, they must include permission letters from the university or institution where the expert is employed.
“If those brought are from academia, there must be permission from the university, campus, or similar. Enough? Very well, thank you for this hearing postponement, the hearing is adjourned and closed,” said Suhartoyo, banging the gavel.
The six requested cases include, among others, case No. 27/PUU/XXIV/2026 requested by Atrid Dayani and associates regarding the review of Article 237 letters b and c of the new Criminal Code on national symbols.
Then, case No. 29/PUU-XXIV/2026 requested by Zico Leonard Djagardo Simanjuntak, combined from case No. 26/PUU-XXIV/2026 on Law No. 1 of 2026 on Penalty Adjustments by petitioner Rianjani Pajar Salusih and associates regarding insults to the president and vice president.
Meanwhile, case No. 282/PUU-XXIII/2025 and No. 282/PUU-XXIII/2026 requested by Tania Iskandar regarding Article 411 paragraph (2) of the new Criminal Code on adultery penalties.