Protection of Victims of Salah Pati under Balinese Customary Law and National Law

I Gede Januariawan; I Nyoman Alit Putrawan

doi:10.59890/ijir.v4i8.241

Authors

I Gede Januariawan Universitas Hindu Negeri I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa Denpasar
I Nyoman Alit Putrawan Universitas Hindu Negeri I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa Denpasar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59890/ijir.v4i8.241

Keywords:

Salah Pati, Balinese Customary Law, Victim Protection, Legal Pluralism, National Law, Living Law

Abstract

This study examines the legal protection of victims of salah pati from the perspectives of Balinese customary law and Indonesian national law. In Balinese society, salah pati refers to unnatural or unexpected death, including death caused by homicide, violence, negligence, suicide, accidents, disasters, and other external circumstances. Such deaths are not merely legal events but also carry social and religious consequences related to the balance between the sekala and niskala dimensions of life. This study employs a normative juridical approach by examining customary legal principles, relevant traditional sources, and national legal regulations concerning victim protection. The analysis demonstrates that Balinese customary law emphasizes restorative-religious protection through purification rituals, customary obligations, community solidarity, and respect for the spiritual dignity of the deceased and the victim’s family. Meanwhile, national law provides juridical protection through criminal accountability, restitution, compensation, civil remedies, and protection of victims and their heirs. The coexistence of these mechanisms reflects legal pluralism, in which customary and national legal systems perform complementary functions. Harmonizing both systems is therefore essential to establish comprehensive protection encompassing juridical, social, cultural, and spiritual dimensions.

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