Law Must Deliver Justice Protecting the Vulnerable, Says Yusril
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correctional Affairs, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, stated that the law must be capable of delivering justice that protects human dignity, especially for vulnerable groups.
During the opening of The 10th International Conference on Law and Justice (ICLJ) 2026 in Malang, East Java, on Tuesday (7/7), Yusril emphasised that law must not stop at mere regulatory texts and procedures.
“Legal certainty and procedure are the foundations of a state governed by law, but the law must not lose its ethical dimension because, ultimately, the law regulates humans with all their problems and limitations,” Yusril said, as confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Yusril explained that while articles regulate actions, it is humans who are being regulated. Similarly, procedures tend to regulate processes, but it is individuals—who possess fears, hopes, limitations, and often suffer—who undergo those processes.
Consequently, the success of the law is measured not only by the existence of regulations but by the law’s ability to provide real protection for the community.
If the law only functions effectively for those with power, education, and access, he noted, then it cannot be considered true justice.
Yusril explained that changing times present new challenges for the legal system, ranging from social inequality and migration to digital technological developments and artificial intelligence.
“Therefore, the law must continuously adapt without losing the principles of justice and humanity,” he said.
He added that criminal law reform through Law Number 1 of 2023 regarding the Criminal Code (KUHP) and Law Number 20 of 2025 regarding the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) are part of efforts to build a legal system that is not only oriented towards punishment but also towards restoration.
It was emphasised that criminal law reform is not merely about replacing legal codes, but rather an effort to transform the face of the law from a system focused on punishment to one that also aims for restoration.
Yusril also asserted that the restorative justice approach does not mean eliminating legal accountability, but rather ensuring that victim recovery, perpetrator responsibility, and the repair of social relationships remain integral parts of the justice process.
Furthermore, he highlighted the development of artificial intelligence (AI), which must remain controlled by ethics and human consideration.
“Artificial intelligence can assist judges in finding decision patterns, but AI must not replace a judge’s conscience. Technology should be subject to human ethical principles, not the other way around,” said Yusril.
On the other hand, he also encouraged academics to produce legal studies that stem from the real problems faced by society.
He argued that the law must be able to bridge legal certainty with substantive justice so that its benefits are truly felt by all citizens.
Yusril expressed hope that the 10th ICLJ could serve as a space for collaboration between academics, legal practitioners, and policymakers in strengthening an inclusive and just legal system.
A developed state governed by law is not the one that is harshest in punishing.
“A developed state governed by law is one that is most capable of limiting its own power, most effective in protecting the weak, and most honest in admitting if its system is not functioning well,” he said.
The conference, themed ‘Reimagining Law and Justice: Bridging Inequality and Protecting the Vulnerable in a Changing World’, discussed the challenges of law and justice amidst social change, technology, and global dynamics.