Indonesia: Newly Embedded Law Bans Sex Outside Marriage
Indonesia, which is the world's most populated Muslim country has now decided to ban sex outside marriage and unmarried couples living in together.
Although there are a lot of debates around the world to consider whether it is right to have sex outside the marriage or not, but there are not a lot of countries which have actually banned sex outside marriage.??
Bali in Indonesia is one of the most famous sex tourism destination around the world. However, Indonesia, which is the world's most populated Muslim country, has now decided to become one. But now, Indonesia's parliament has approved legislation on Tuesday, 6th of December that would outlaw sex outside marriage.
A revision of Indonesia's criminal code, which dates back to the Netherlands colonial era, has been debated for decades and has now finally been amended. Some of the most controversial articles in the newly passed code criminalise extra-marital sex, as well as the unmarried couples living together. According to the new law illegal living in will have a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment, and sex outside of marriage will be punished with one year in prison. But the charges must be based on police reports lodged by their spouse, parents or children. The code also maintains that abortion is a crime, but it adds exceptions for women with life-threatening medical conditions and for rape, when that the fetus is less than 12 weeks old. The new code also says the promotion of contraception and religious blasphemy are illegal.
The spokesperson of the Law and Human Rights Ministry, Albert Aries, defended the amendments before the vote and said the law would protect marriage institutions. The amendment on extra-marital sex has been criticised by Indonesian business organisations as a harm to tourism, though authorities insisted foreigners travelling to Bali would not be affected by the newly embedded law. Rights groups slammed the legislation as morality policing.They said that the country is going backward. Also, about a hundred people protested against the bill on Monday, 5th of December and unfurled a yellow banner that read "reject the passing of the criminal code revision", with some dropping flower petals on the banner as is done for a funeral. Another protest to reject the new law was held on Tuesday, 6th of December in front of the parliament building. What do you think about this newly embedded law in Indonesia which criminalise extra marital sex &? Do mention your thoughts in the comment section below.
