L

aw and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly says that the amendments to the Criminal Code (KUHP) and the Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP) are unlikely to be passed this year since deliberations are still dragging in the House of Representatives.

'€œIt'€™s not possible [to finalize the amendments]. However, we will try to accelerate this process,'€ Yasonna told reporters on Wednesday.

Officials representing the ministry and the House'€™s Commission III overseeing legal affairs have reportedly agreed that the amendments must be made within two years. The minister handed over the proposed amendment document during Wednesday'€™s meeting.

Citing the voluminous nature of the document to be reviewed, the minister said revisions to the KUHP and KUHAP amendments had been stalled for years, adding that his office needed to seek comments from legal experts, legal watchdogs and academics. Among the contentious revisions is a clause that would limit the ability of judges to impose the death penalty in some cases.

Commission III is expected to kick off the deliberations in August as soon as the House resumes the next sitting session after a month-long recess beginning on July 11 and to use the remaining five months to speed up the process in order to be able to endorse the laws next year.

The bills amending the KUHP and the KUHAP have been in front of the House for two consecutive terms without any significant progress, although both bills have been included in the National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) for 10 years.