Criminal Liability of Defendants with Paranoid Schizophrenia Mental Disorder in the New Criminal Code

This study examines criminal liability for defendants suffering from mental disorders, specifically Paranoid Schizophrenia, within the framework of the new Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP), while also comparing it to provisions under the former Criminal Code. Paranoid Schizophrenia, as a severe mental disorder, often raises debates in criminal law, particularly concerning the capacity of individuals to bear legal responsibility. The purpose of this research is to analyze the comparative concept of criminal liability for defendants with Paranoid Schizophrenia under both the old and the new Criminal Code, as well as to explore the implications of these differences for safeguarding the rights of defendants with such conditions within the criminal justice system. This research employs a normative juridical approach using comparative legal analysis. Primary data were collected through literature review, while secondary data were obtained from interviews to support and reinforce the normative legal analysis. The findings indicate that the new Criminal Code adopts a more progressive and humanistic approach in addressing defendants with Paranoid Schizophrenia by explicitly recognizing mental disorders as grounds for exemption from criminal liability and by emphasizing the necessity of rehabilitative measures. These differences have a direct impact on the legal status of defendants, the sentencing process, and the protection of human rights within the criminal justice system.