Indonesia's parliament passes a law that imposes a prison sentence on sex outside of marriage
Indonesia's parliament has approved a new penal code amendment that would punish extramarital sex with up to one year in prison.
According to the news in Al Jazeera, within the scope of the new penal code change in Indonesia, a prison sentence of up to one year is foreseen for sexual intercourse outside of marriage. The changes in the penal code also prohibit the President from expressing opinions against institutions and official state ideology.
Edward Hiariej, Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights, stated that the amendment to the law passed by the parliament must be signed by the head of state in order to be implemented. Hirariej said that there are regulations that need to be worked on in order for the said change to be implemented and emphasized that "it may take 3 years".
The bill, which was brought to the agenda with a draft in 2019, caused protests in the country.
A group of protesters, human rights activists, who came together in front of the parliament in the capital Jakarta, held a demonstration against the government's draft penal code.
