The Position of Noodweer and Noodweer Exces as Grounds for Eliminating Criminal Liability

Muhammad Farizal Ardiansyah; Sarwo Waskito; Rafadi Khan Khayru; Kurnia Wijaya; Novritsar Hasitongan Pakpahan

Authors

Muhammad Farizal Ardiansyah Universitas Sunan Giri Surabaya
Sarwo Waskito Universitas Sunan Giri Surabaya
Rafadi Khan Khayru Universitas Sunan Giri Surabaya
Kurnia Wijaya Universitas Sunan Giri Surabaya
Novritsar Hasitongan Pakpahan Universitas Sunan Giri Surabaya

Keywords:

criminal abolition grounds, justification, excus, necessity defense, excessive necessity defense

Abstract

The imposition of criminal sanctions within the criminal justice system is not absolute, as normative exceptions exist that allow judges to refrain from sentencing an offender despite the formal fulfillment of all elements of a criminal offense. These exceptions, known as grounds for the abolition of punishment (strafuitsluitingsgronden), are classified into two primary categories: justification grounds (rechtvaardigingsgrond) and excuse grounds (schulduitsluitingsgrond). This normative legal research employs a statutory and conceptual approach to analyze the regulatory framework, conceptual distinctions, and judicial application of these grounds, with particular focus on the necessity defense (noodweer) and excessive necessity defense (noodweer exces) as stipulated in Article 49 of the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHPidana). The findings reveal that justification grounds negate the unlawful nature of the act itself, focusing on the actus reus, while excuse grounds eliminate the offender's culpability, focusing on the mens rea. Noodweer under Article 49(1) operates as a justification ground, rendering the defensive action legally permissible when undertaken against an imminent and unlawful attack. Conversely, noodweer exces under Article 49(2) functions as an excuse ground, absolving the offender from criminal liability due to the excessive response being directly precipitated by severe psychological shock resulting from the attack. A precise understanding of this doctrinal distinction is imperative for judges to render equitable decisions, ensuring that the imposition of punishment remains proportionate and substantively just.

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