Tourists allowed to commit adultery in Indonesia, citizens prohibited: Official
Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej, the Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister, on Monday said Indonesia’s newly revised criminal code that prohibits sex outside marriage would not apply to visitors.
The minister said visitors holidaying in Indonesia would not need to worry about possible criminal complaints concerning sex outside marriage or cohabitation between unmarried couples as stipulated in the new law.
“Tourists will not be charged with these provisions, as only the husband or wife, and parents or children (of the alleged offenders) can file the complaints,” said Mr Hiariej.
Last week, the Indonesian parliament unanimously passed a new criminal code that stipulates that sex outside of marriage is punishable by one year in prison and couples who live together out of wedlock would face six months in prison.
The old criminal code will remain applicable until 2025, it said.
The government was in damage control mode following media coverage about the controversial rules’ changes and was trying to reassure tourists that they would not threaten them.
He added that the provisions would prevent the local community, the regional public and other agencies from playing judge by raiding the residences of unmarried couples who live together and accusing them of adultery.
Bali governor, Wayan Koster, said in a statement on Sunday that the provincial administration would ensure visitors’ data or marital status would remain confidential.
Also, there would be no checking of their marital status upon arrival at accommodations on the resort island.
The statements came amid concerns that the criminal code could deter travellers ahead of the Christmas and New Year holiday season on which Bali pinned its hope to revive its tourism sector hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new criminal code was decades in the making and marked a major revision from the previous code that was a legacy from the Dutch colonial era.
Rights advocates criticised the law as intrusive to citizens’ private lives and undermining political and civic freedoms.
(dpa/NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
NationWide
NYSC reforms will curb unemployment, boost productivity: APC Chieftain
According to him, the initiative will deepen human capital development by equipping corps members with marketable skills that can boost productivity.
NationWide
Nigerians divided over FG’s six-week NYSC orientation reform
The government extended the orientation course from three weeks to six weeks.
NationWide
Nigeria needs bold structural reforms to reduce cost of living, ADC chieftain says
He said temporary intervention programmes alone could not build a modern and resilient economy.
Lagos
Lagos consumers turn to stockfish heads amid scarcity, rising prices
Nigeria remains the world’s largest importer of Norwegian stockfish, with millions of dollars’ worth shipped annually to meet the massive demand.
Rights
Expert seeks greater inclusion of persons with disabilities in governance, electoral process
He called for electoral reforms to make polling units more accessible to persons with disabilities.
States
NDLEA arrests Nigerian-British grandma with 13kg of cocaine hidden in plantain peels
The NDLEA said the drugs were concealed in peels of plantain, which appeared as real plantains and were packed among other food items.
