Indonesian lawmakers today (Dec. 6) unanimously passed “a sweeping new criminal code that criminalizes sex outside marriage, a move that threatens human rights and could do serious damage to the Asian country’s tourism economy.
The new code, which also applies to foreign residents and tourists, bans people from living together when they’re not married, bans apostasy (the renunciation of religious or political beliefs), and provides punishments for insulting the president or expressing views counter to the national ideology, CNN reports.
Many countries around the world have old laws on the books that forbid gay marriage or other activities. But unanimously passing a new law is something else entirely.
Indonesia, especially the tropical island of Bali, is one of the most popular destinations in the world for young people to visit. A law like this is bound to discourage visits and will likely cause considerable damage to the country’s tourism and hospitality industry.
Under the law passed Tuesday, CNN said sex outside marriage carries a potential one-year prison term though there a restrictions on who can lodge a formal complaint. The new law is expected to take effect in three years, but it sends an immediate message of “you’re not welcome” to many would-be visitors.
The BBC reports that the new laws “come after a rise in religious conservatism in the Muslim-majority country.” It said critics see the law as a “disaster” for human rights.
