The Indonesian parliament has passed a bill to ban sex outside marriage. Violators face up to a year in prison, including couples living together.
It also tightens penalties for abortions, with women who have an abortion facing up to four years in prison. Abortion is still illegal under current law, with the exception of life-threatening emergencies and rape, provided the woman has been less than 12 weeks pregnant.
Opponents have criticized the bill, which bans extramarital sex, saying it is not in line with international law, such as the right to privacy.
The bill also includes provisions to curb criticism of the president and public institutions and limit the rights of LGBTQ people. It will be fully implemented after a three-year transition period following President Joko Widodo’s signature. It applies to both Indonesians and foreigners.
When the amendment was introduced in 2019, it sparked violent protests and forced the president to delay it to garner more public feedback.
“We are concerned that this could have a negative impact on the investment climate in Indonesia,” US Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Kim said in a speech at the US-Indonesia investment summit in Jakarta on Thursday. “There is a good chance that this will lead to a decline in foreign investment, tourism and travel,” he said.
Original title:Indonesia passes law banning extramarital sex, curbs dissent (2)(extract)
