Ban On Premarital Sex, Indonesia Puts A Clause |READ MORE
AFNews Reporter
Dec 12, 2022
The Indonesian government has allayed fears about a new law that criminalizes sex outside marriage being biding to foreigners.
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Officials on Monday dismissed the concerns saying that tourists would not face charges under the legislation.
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Indonesian parliament had last week, unanimously passed a law which will incriminate premarital sex and cohabitation between unmarried couples with defaulters incurring prison sentences.
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Officials in the world's largest Muslim-majority country say the changes - to come into effect from 2025 - are intended to uphold "Indonesian values."
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The new code, which must also still be approved by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, includes provisions stipulating sex outside of marriage is punishable by one year in prison.
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Meanwhile, couples who live together when not married could face jail terms of up to six months.
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Indonesia's Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej dismissed concerns on Monday, saying foreigners would not be prosecuted.
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"I want to emphasize for foreign tourists, please come to Indonesia because you will not be charged with this article," Hiariej told reporters.
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He added that both extramarital sex and cohabitation offenses would only be prosecuted if they were reported by a spouse, parent, or child. He noted that adultery had already been illegal for years.
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Governor Wayan Koster, on the vacation island of Bali, also tried to allay fears about the law. He said local authorities would not be checking tourists' marital status.
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Tourism is an important part of Indonesia's economy, contributing almost 5% of its gross domestic product. In 2019, the year before the coronavirus pandemic, the country received more than 16 million visitors.
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— AFNews Reporter