Bali, Indonesia
The Indonesian parliament has approved a criminal code that makes sex outside of marriage illegal and punishable by up to a year in prison. The development came on Tuesday when the Indonesian Parliament unanimously voted to approve the ban for both citizens and foreign visitors.
Following the announcement, Australian tourists have been reacting to the ban. Bali is one of the most popular tourist destinations for Aussies, with over a million visiting the country every year.
In addition to prohibiting extramarital sex, the new code will also prohibit unmarried couples from cohabitating. It was approved by all political parties, despite warnings from business groups that it would deter tourists and can harm investments. Reacting to the ban, Aussie tourists are describing the new code as 'terrifying'.
Rights groups have criticised the legislation as vigilantism, and activists have called it a crackdown on civil and political liberties. They argue that the proposals reflect a growing trend toward fundamentalism in a country that has long been praised for its religious tolerance.
Reactions in unison
Amnesty International Indonesia director Usman Hamid said, "We are going backward... repressive laws should have been abolished but the bill shows that the arguments of scholars abroad are true, that our democracy is indisputably in decline".
Deputy chief of Indonesia's tourism industry board, Maulana Yusran said the bill is "totally counter-productive", especially at a time when the economy and tourism sector are still trying to recover from the pandemic.
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On Monday, about a hundred people demonstrated against the bill, unfurling a yellow banner that read "reject the passing of the criminal code revision," with some dropping flower petals on the banner as is customary at funerals.
One Australian tourist reacted to the new code saying, "That's terrifying. I don't want to be in an Indonesian prison for 12 months because I slept with someone I don't know."
Another Aussie said, "I always come to Bali but if it affects me and my partner we obviously won't be able to."
Bivitri Susanti of the Indonesia Jentera School of Law refers to existing bylaws in some regions that impose curfews on women and said, "Regulations that are not in accordance with human rights principles will occur in conservative areas."
The new code also broadens an existing blasphemy law and maintains a five-year prison sentence for violations. The new code still needs approval from the president and the government has said that the code will take several years for its proper implementation.