Indonesia’s National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has formally recommended that the government recognize corruption as a human rights violation during the upcoming revision of the nation’s anti-corruption laws. The proposal seeks to shift the legal focus from viewing corruption solely as a financial crime against the state to acknowledging its role in depriving citizens of fundamental rights.
Expanding the Legal Definition of Corruption
Current Indonesian legislation, specifically Law No. 31 of 1999 as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001, defines corruption primarily through the lens of financial loss to the state. According to Komnas HAM Commissioner for Study and Research Uli Parulian Sihombing, this framework is insufficient because it ignores the broader impact on the public. During the July 21, 2026, launch of a study titled “Corruption and Recovery of Human Rights Violations,” Uli argued that corruption causes collective harm, including restricted access to education, environmental degradation, and failures in public service and infrastructure development.
Harmonization with International Standards
Komnas HAM advocates for aligning Indonesian law with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and existing domestic human rights frameworks. Uli pointed to Article 1, Paragraph 6 of Indonesia’s Human Rights Law as a potential basis for this reclassification. By integrating human rights principles into the Corruption Eradication Law, the commission aims to provide legal standing for “collective victims” to seek accountability and recovery. Uli noted that international human rights law already recognizes corruption as a violation, a standard he believes Indonesia should formally adopt.
Legislative Outlook for Law Revision
The House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III, which manages legal affairs, initiated limited discussions regarding the revision of the Corruption Eradication Law in May 2026. While the revision process is underway, the specific provisions slated for amendment remain undisclosed. When contacted for comment regarding the Komnas HAM recommendations, Commission III members Nasir Djamil and Hasbiallah Ilyas did not provide a response. As the legislative process continues, it is possible that these discussions could incorporate the commission’s human rights-based approach, though the extent of such changes remains subject to the closed-door deliberations within the DPR.
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