Extorted or Threatened to Have Secrets Revealed? These are Articles 482–483 of the New Criminal Code and the Maximum Penalties

Materials Criminal Law

Extorted or Threatened to Have Secrets Revealed? These are Articles 482–483 of the New Criminal Code and the Maximum Penalties

By Redaksi Literasi Hukum Indonesia

15 Feb 2026 15 February 2026 09:56 WIB 6 min read reading time: 6 minutes 80 read

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Did the perpetrator force you to pay with threats of violence or threats to reveal secrets? Note the differences between extortion (Article 482) and threats (Article 483) in the New Criminal Code, prison/fine sanctions, complaint offenses, and the evidence that victims need to prepare.

Ilustrasi perbedaan pemerasan dan pengancaman dalam KUHP Baru, beserta ancaman hukuman bagi pelaku. (Source: AI Gemini, Redaksi Literasi Hukum Indonesia)

Question

I would like to inquire about the threats I have been experiencing lately.

There is someone pressuring me to give money or fulfill their demands. The form of pressure varies: sometimes it is "harsh" and makes me physically afraid, sometimes the threat is more "psychological," such as wanting to spread something embarrassing or reveal personal secrets.

What confuses me is that I don't know whether my condition falls under "extortion" or "threat." On the other hand, I am also worried that if I remain silent, the threat will get worse—and I will be "forced" to hand over money just so the problem doesn't escalate.

My questions:

In the New Criminal Code, what articles can be applied to cases like this?
What is the difference between extortion and threats according to the New Criminal Code?
If I have not had time to hand over money/goods, can the perpetrator still be prosecuted?
Does this case require a victim's complaint (reporting offense), and if so, what is the time limit?
What evidence is most important so that my report is not considered "just a personal conflict"?

Brief Answer

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In the New Criminal Code, extortion and threats are in the same Chapter, but are distinguished primarily by the means of coercion used by the perpetrator.

Extortion (Article 482) essentially occurs when a person, with the intent to unlawfully benefit themselves/another person, coerces another person with violence or threats of violence to hand over goods/money or make a debt acknowledgment/waive a receivable. The basic criminal threat is imprisonment for a maximum of 9 years.
Threats (Article 483) (which is often understood by the public as “blackmail”/extortion with threats of spreading disgrace) occur when the perpetrator coerces another person with threats of defamation/written defamation or threats of revealing secrets, so that the victim hands over goods/money or makes a debt acknowledgment/waives a receivable. The criminal threat is imprisonment for a maximum of 4 years or a maximum fine of Category IV (and this is important: there is a note of complaint offense).

The thing that often becomes the “key” for victims: in the official explanation of the New Criminal Code, the concept of “coercing” in extortion is explained to include both successful and unsuccessful attempts. That is, even if the victim has not had time to hand over money/goods, that does not automatically make the case “raw”—what determines it is whether the element of coercion by the means mentioned in the article is fulfilled.

Full Review

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Table of Contents

6 sections

Extortion vs. Threat in the New Criminal Code: The Difference Lies in the “Method of Pressuring” the Victim
Article 482 of the New Criminal Code: Extortion and the Maximum Threat of Punishment
Extortion Can “Level Up”: Why Can the Threat of Punishment Be More Severe Than 9 Years?
Article 483 of the New Criminal Code: Threat (Blackmail) “Spreading Shame/Secrets” and Sanctions
Complaint Offense: Threats under Article 483 Cannot Always Proceed Without a Victim's Complaint
Evidence that Victims Need to Prepare: So That the Case Is Not "Blunt" from the Start

Extortion vs. Threat in the New Criminal Code: The Difference Lies in the “Method of Pressuring” the Victim

The quickest way to distinguish between the two: look at the way the perpetrator coerces. If the pressure involves violence or threats of violence (e.g., “I'll hit you”, “I'll strangle you”, “I'll bring people”, “I'll come to your house”), it's closer to extortion.

If the pressure involves threats to damage honor/reputation (defamation) or threats to reveal secrets (“I'll spread your shame”, “I'll expose your chats”, “I'll send photos/videos to your family/office”), it's closer to threat in the sense of Article 483 of the New Criminal Code.

The official explanation of the New Criminal Code confirms this distinction in fairly “firm” language: in extortion, the coercion is more physical/external (e.g., pointing a weapon), while in threats, the means of coercion are more non-physical/internal (defamation/libel or revealing secrets). If you are a victim, this distinction helps you avoid being “wrong about the article” from the start.

Article 482 of the New Criminal Code: Extortion and the Maximum Threat of Punishment

Article 482 of the New Criminal Code regulates extortion. The structure of the article is typical of property offenses: there is intent to benefit unlawfully, there is an act of coercion, and there is an object that is forced to be handed over (goods/debts/receivables).

In layman's terms, extortion usually “happens in the field”: the perpetrator pressures the victim with violence or threats of violence to hand over something. The form of “something” is not just cash; this article also mentions scenarios such as forcing the victim to make a debt acknowledgment or waive receivables.

In criminal law literature, this element is often explained from two sides: the subjective side (there is an intention to benefit oneself/others unlawfully) and the objective side (the act is in the form of coercion with violence/threats of violence). A number of normative juridical studies on extortion (referencing the old Criminal Code) emphasize the same pattern: the act is coercive, the means of coercion are violence/threats of violence, and the object can be goods or debt-receivable relations—which helps readers understand that “extortion” is not just asking for money, but there is a structure of elements that must be proven.