Summary
Indonesia has started using a new penal code, ending more than 80 years of reliance on colonial-era Dutch laws. The new code includes changes such as criminalizing sex outside marriage and introducing penalties for insulting the president. It aims to reflect modern Indonesian values but has faced criticism for potentially limiting personal freedoms.
Key Facts
- Indonesia's new penal code replaces Dutch-era laws that were in place for over 80 years.
- The code was passed in 2022 and began enforcement after a three-year transition.
- Sex outside of marriage can lead to a one-year jail sentence under the new code.
- Insulting the president or state institutions can result in up to three years in prison.
- Adultery cases require a formal complaint by close family members to proceed.
- The code retains penalties for blasphemy and spreading communist ideology.
- Critics, including Human Rights Watch, are concerned about threats to privacy and freedom of expression.
- The law dropped a proposal to criminalize gay sex, viewed positively by some advocacy groups.
