Ban On Premarital Sex, Indonesia Puts A Clause |READ MORE
The Indonesian government has allayed fears about a new law that criminalizes sex outside marriage being biding to foreigners.
Officials on Monday dismissed the concerns saying that tourists would not face charges under the legislation.
Indonesian parliament had last week, unanimously passed a law which will incriminate premarital sex and cohabitation between unmarried couples with defaulters incurring prison sentences.
Officials in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country say the changes — to come into effect from 2025 — are intended to uphold “Indonesian values.”
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.
Meanwhile, couples who live together when not married could face jail terms of up to six months.
Indonesia’s Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej dismissed concerns on Monday, saying foreigners would not be prosecuted.
“I want to emphasize for foreign tourists, please come to Indonesia because you will not be charged with this article,” Hiariej told reporters.
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.
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.
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.