Jakarta – Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas has called on all members of the Indonesian Advocates Association (Himpunan Advokat Pengacara Indonesia/HAPI) to consistently uphold professional ethics in delivering legal services, particularly following the enactment of the new Criminal Code (KUHP) and Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), which strengthen the role of advocates.
“At the beginning of 2026, we are witnessing an important development that directly relates to the duties of advocates, the implementation of the new KUHP and KUHAP. The most crucial aspect is ethics,” Supratman said at the inauguration of the HAPI Executive Board for the 2025–2030 term, held on Friday (9 January 2026) at Graha Pengayoman.
“Ethics must be deeply internalized in the values and mindset of professional organizations, particularly those representing advocates,” he added.
Supratman emphasized that ethical conduct is fundamental to the legal profession, as advocates provide both litigation and non-litigation services, including legal consultation, client representation, and legal remedies aimed at protecting human rights.
He further noted that advocates must continuously enhance their professional competence in order to provide legal certainty for their clients.
“An advocate represents a client’s legal interests. They must ensure the presumption of innocence is upheld, safeguard the rights of those they represent, prevent intimidation, and ensure that human rights are respected in accordance with the law,” he said.
Supratman also encouraged HAPI to strengthen cooperation with the Ministry of Law, given the close alignment between the Ministry’s programs and the role of advocates.
He explained that the Ministry of Law administers free legal aid programs through accredited legal aid organizations, as well as Legal Aid Posts (Posbankum) established across villages and urban communities throughout Indonesia.
“The Ministry has initiated the establishment of Posbankum to provide legal consultation and assistance, train paralegals, and support village peace judges. This ensures that access to justice is not limited to urban areas, but reaches all corners of the country. I hope HAPI will continue to contribute positively across Indonesia,” Supratman concluded.
