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Regulatory Update: Indonesia’s Witness and Victim Protection Bill
By Setyawati Fitrianggraeni, June 2, 2026
by Setyawati Fitrianggraeni and Tiara Amanda Putri
Overview
The House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Republik Indonesia/DPR RI) officially passed the Witness and Victim Protection Bill during the 17th Plenary Session on April 21, 2026,(1) replacing the 2006 and 2014 regulations.(2) The new law, consisting of 12 chapters and 78 articles, aims to strengthen the position of the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (Lembaga Perlindungan Saksi dan Korban/LPSK) as an independent state institution and ensure the state’s role in providing legal certainty(3) and restorative justice for parties involved in criminal proceedings.(2) Through the passage of this bill, Commission XIII of the DPR RI encourages widespread public outreach to raise awareness of protection rights,(3) while ensuring a more transparent and accountable judicial process.(4)
Key Highlights
- Expanded Scope of Protected Subjects and Integrated Recovery Rights
The Witness and Victim Protection Bill significantly broadens the scope of individuals eligible for legal protection, extending beyond witnesses and victims to explicitly include justice collaborators, whistleblowers, informants, and experts who play crucial roles in uncovering criminal cases.(1) These parties are granted comprehensive rights, including physical and psychological protection, legal assistance, confidentiality of identity, and the provision of new identities when necessary to ensure they are protected from both digital and physical threats or intimidation. This protection mechanism is implemented through a thorough assessment by the LPSK of the individual’s level of vulnerability and the severity of the crime, with the agency authorized to provide medical services and psychosocial rehabilitation to help witnesses or victims recover and deliver consistent testimony during court proceedings.(2)
- Strengthening LPSK’s Independence and Establishing a Special Task Force
The regulation designates the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) as an independent state institution free from external influence, to enhance its institutional capacity in handling national crime cases.(3) To address longstanding regional limitations, the LPSK is now authorized to establish special task forces to carry out protection and security functions more effectively. This strengthening measure requires law enforcement officials, including investigators and prosecutors, to coordinate mandatorily with the LPSK through a technology-based criminal justice system, where any failure by relevant institutions to comply with LPSK protection recommendations may result in sanctions under prevailing laws and regulations.(2)
- Governance of the Victim Trust Fund and State Compensation Certainty
The law introduces an administrative breakthrough through the establishment of a Victim Trust Fund as a sustainable financing instrument to support compensation and recovery programs for crime victims. This facility is intended for victims of gross human rights violations, terrorism, human trafficking, and sexual violence, particularly in situations where perpetrators are unable to fully provide compensation or restitution as ordered by the court. Under Article 13 paragraph (4), the fund is managed transparently and accountably by the ministry responsible for financial affairs and utilized by the LPSK, with funding sourced from the state and regional budgets, criminal fines, proceeds from confiscated assets, as well as grants and philanthropic contributions.(2)
References
1. Sutrisna T, Damarjati D. Kompas.com. 2026. Tok! DPR Sahkan RUU Perlindungan Saksi dan Korban Menjadi UU. Available from: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2026/04/21/11225181/tok-dpr-sahkan-ruu-perlindungan-saksi-dan-korban-menjadi-uu
2. Draft Law on the Protection of Witness and Victim.
3. Hutabarat D. Liputan6. 2025. DPR Sahkan UU Perlindungan Saksi dan Korban, Komisi XIII Dorong Sosialisasi Masif. Available from: https://www.liputan6.com/news/read/6320663/dpr-sahkan-uu-perlindungan-saksi-dan-korban-komisi-xiii-dorong-sosialisasi-masif
4. Awangga R, Farhan MA, Zaenuddin. Efektivitas Mekanisme Perlindungan Saksi dan Korban dalam Persidangan Kejahatan Nasional. Sinergi: Jurnal Ilmiah Multidisiplin. 2026 Jan 27;2(1). Available from: https://publikasi.ahlalkamal.com/index.php/sinergi/article/view/361
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