Jakarta –
Indonesia’s anti-corruption agency, the KPK, is changing how it presents suspects in custody. As of this week, the agency will no longer display individuals accused of corruption to the media while wearing the now-iconic orange vests. This shift, announced Sunday, aligns with revisions to the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP) that took effect earlier this year.
A New Era of Presumption of Innocence
The change aims to better protect the rights of those accused, emphasizing the principle of presumed innocence until proven guilty.
The new practice was first evident during a press conference Sunday (January 11, 2026) regarding a tax bribery case involving five suspects, including Dwi Budi Iswahyu, Head of the North Jakarta Middle Tax Service Office (KKP). The KPK notably refrained from showcasing the suspects in orange vests during the briefing.
“Including if colleagues ask, today’s press conference is a bit different, why? ‘Well, why aren’t the suspects shown?’ Well, that’s one of the things we have adopted the new KUHAP,” explained Asep Guntur Rahayu, Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Committee, at the KPK building in South Jakarta.
Rahayu elaborated that the updated KUHAP places a greater emphasis on human rights. “The new KUHAP focuses more on human rights, so how to protect human rights is the principle of presumption of innocence, which is protected by the parties. Of course we have also followed it,” he said.
Law Number 20 of 2025, concerning amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), was enacted in December 2025 and became operational on January 2, 2026. Article 90 of the new KUHAP outlines the criteria for designating a suspect.
“The investigator determines a suspect for someone suspected of committing a criminal act based on a minimum of two pieces of evidence,” states Article 90, paragraph 1 of the revised code.
Further details regarding suspect determination are provided in the five paragraphs that follow. Specifically, Article 91 of the new KUHAP addresses the principle of presumed innocence.
Article 91 of the Criminal Procedure Code
In determining a suspect, investigators are prohibited from carrying out actions that give rise to a presumption of guilt.
Also watch the video “KPK Names 5 Tax OTT Suspects, Head of North Jakarta Intermediate KPP Also Arrested”
