Indonesian lawmakers pass new legislation that criminalises adultery
Vanassa McKenzie / Our Today
Indonesia lawmakers passed new legislation on Tuesday (December 6) that criminalises sex outside of marriage, making it punishable with up to a year in jail.
The law, which also applies to tourists and foreigners, will prevent couples from living together before marriage, apostacy and insulting the president or sharing any views that go against the political ideology of the state.
The new legislation will not take effect until the next three years, as parliamentarians argue that will allow for a smoother transition from the old legislation to the new.
Yasonna Laoly, law and human rights minister of Indonesia, during a news conference, argued that it was not easy for a multicultural and multi-ethnic state to make a criminal code that accommodated all interests.
The minister further outlined that the Indonesian lawmakers did everything they could to accommodate ‘public aspiration’ and urged citizens who were not in agreement with the new code to submit a judicial review to the constitutional court.
According to recent reports, human rights activists held protest outside of parliament after the new legislation was approved.
The human rights group argued that the new legislation, which penalises criticism of the president, contravenes international laws and threatens freedom of expression.
This reform in the country’s laws comes at a time when Indonesia has seen a rise in religious conservatism.
The country has the largest Muslim population in the world, with many of the laws implemented by the government reflecting the ideas and beliefs of the Islamic faith.
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