Indonesia passes legislation banning sex outside marriage
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 6:19 am
Indonesia passes legislation banning sex outside marriage
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/ ... e-marriage
Indonesia’s parliament has approved legislation that outlaws pre-marital sex while making other sweeping changes to the criminal code – a move critics deemed a setback to the country’s freedoms.
After the controversial new criminal code received a majority of votes from lawmakers during the plenary session, deputy house speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad banged the gavel to signal the text was approved and shouted “legal”.
Rights groups had protested against the amendments, denouncing a crackdown on civil liberties and a shift towards religious fundamentalism.
“We have tried our best to accommodate the important issues and different opinions which were debated. However, it is time for us to make a historical decision on the penal code amendment and to leave the colonial criminal code we inherited behind,” Yasonna Laoly, minister of law and human rights, told parliament.
Some of the most controversial articles in the newly passed code are criminalising premarital and extramarital sex, as well as the cohabitation of unmarried couples.
The approval comes even as business groups warned it could harm Indonesia’s image as a tourism and investment destination.
There are also fears these rules could have a major impact on the LGBTQ community in Indonesia where gay marriage is not allowed.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/ ... e-marriage
Indonesia’s parliament has approved legislation that outlaws pre-marital sex while making other sweeping changes to the criminal code – a move critics deemed a setback to the country’s freedoms.
After the controversial new criminal code received a majority of votes from lawmakers during the plenary session, deputy house speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad banged the gavel to signal the text was approved and shouted “legal”.
Rights groups had protested against the amendments, denouncing a crackdown on civil liberties and a shift towards religious fundamentalism.
“We have tried our best to accommodate the important issues and different opinions which were debated. However, it is time for us to make a historical decision on the penal code amendment and to leave the colonial criminal code we inherited behind,” Yasonna Laoly, minister of law and human rights, told parliament.
Some of the most controversial articles in the newly passed code are criminalising premarital and extramarital sex, as well as the cohabitation of unmarried couples.
The approval comes even as business groups warned it could harm Indonesia’s image as a tourism and investment destination.
There are also fears these rules could have a major impact on the LGBTQ community in Indonesia where gay marriage is not allowed.