Jakarta – The Bill (RUU) on the Ratification of the Treaty between the Republic of Indonesia and the Russian Federation on Extradition has officially been enacted as a Law. This ratification ensures legal certainty regarding extradition obligations between Indonesia and Russia.
The Minister of Law, Supratman Andi Agtas, stated that the new law strengthens several areas, including protecting national interests by accelerating the process of extradition requests, reducing the state’s financial burden from extended detention, and strengthening Indonesia’s diplomatic position.
“Moreover, this Law strengthens Indonesia’s diplomatic position, as Russia is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and a strategic partner of Indonesia in various international forums,” said Supratman during the 6th Plenary Session of the DPR RI held at the DPR RI Plenary Hall Thursday (10/02/2025).
The ratification of this Extradition Bill strengthens reciprocal commitment, as the Russian Federation is now also bound by an obligation to provide extradition assistance to the Republic of Indonesia. According to Supratman, this will also boost Indonesia's international reputation as a law-abiding country that actively cooperates in the fight against transnational crime.
Historically, extradition between Indonesia and the Russian Federation has been governed by Law No. 1 of 1979 on Extradition, along with provisions from several international conventions, including the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC).
These existing mechanism has been found insufficient because it was too general and did not establish legally binding obligations between Indonesia and the Russian Federation. Additionally, Indonesia has received several extradition requests from Russia, and the risk of criminals fleeing to either country remains high due to the large area of both countries.
According to the Vice Speaker of Commission XIII, Andreas Hugo Pareira, this Level II Discussion was made after thorough debate in the Working Committee (Panja) and the Level I Decision-Making during a working meeting with the Minister of Law and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“All factions and the government agreed on The Bill on the Ratification of the Treaty between the Republic of Indonesia and the Russian Federation on Extradition, allowing it to be finalized at the Level II Discussion during the plenary session,” He concluded.
