LEGAL PROTECTION FOR WHISTLEBLOWERS IN THE ERADICATION OF CORRUPTION CRIMES IN INDONESIA

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the forms and effectiveness of legal protection for whistleblowers based on Law Number 13 of 2006 in conjunction with Law Number 31 of 2014 concerning the Protection of Witnesses and Victims, as well as Supreme Court Circular Letter (SEMA) Number 4 of 2011. The research employs a normative legal method with a statutory and comparative approach to examine the gap between legal norms and their implementation. The findings reveal that the existing regulations have not yet provided comprehensive protection for whistleblowers, as their legal status has not been explicitly regulated in the prevailing legislation. This situation has led many corruption reporters to face threats, intimidation, and even retaliatory criminalization. The Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) have developed reporting mechanisms through the Whistleblowing System; however, these efforts continue to encounter institutional limitations and a legal culture that does not yet encourage whistleblower courage. To achieve effective legal protection, regulatory reforms are needed to explicitly recognize whistleblowers as protected legal subjects, alongside strengthening the capacity of protection institutions and reinforcing an anti-corruption culture within society. An ideal form of protection should not only guarantee physical and legal security but also include moral, social, and economic support for whistleblowers who act in good faith, in order to uphold the rule of law and promote clean governance in Indonesia.