Sex outside marriage is now a criminal offense

the Indonesian government passed a new criminal code that prohibits, among other things, having sex outside of marriage and making derogatory remarks about the president or vice president. The new laws will also apply to foreigners, tourists, and other visitors who are in the country, which is as startling as the criminal code seems in a democratic democracy.

Human rights advocates, as well as tour and business operators, have taken notice of the new criminal law. The tourism industry is very important to Indonesia's economy, and Covid-19 has already hurt it.

Tour operators are concerned that this will have a negative effect on their business because the criminal code will also apply to visitors and foreigners who are in the nation.

The Joko Widodo administration in Indonesia has long tried to update the penal code that dates back to Dutch colonial times. But many people anticipated advancement. After being passed, the contentious law will reportedly take three years to completely take effect. Human rights organizations and others who feel the bill would be used to endanger the civil liberties of women, religious minorities, political opponents, and the LGBTQIA+ community protested the law's adoption in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital.

The new code prohibits having sex with a person who is not your spouse, cohabiting without getting married, protests requiring permits, criticizing the President or Vice President subject to repercussions, and more.

How will Indonesia implement the prohibition on cohabitation? According to Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej, the deputy minister of justice for Indonesia, the authorities won't be conducting any raids in this matter.