Indonesia’s death penalty ‘moderation’ a misnomer

Indonesia is on the cusp of the biggest criminal justice reform since independence. 

The latest Indonesian Criminal Code is set to replace the penal code inherited from the Dutch colonial government. The Code aims to make a statement about Indonesia’s resurgent spirit, decolonising and democratising the country. However, its approach to capital punishment speaks volumes about the future of the Indonesian criminal justice system — and shows that shedding colonial ideas is often easier said than done.

Drug offences have grown since 2015 to dominate Indoensia's death row population, as non-drug offences remain relatively flat.