Indonesia protests over sex before marriage bill

Indonesia protests over sex before marriage bill

By Semi Turaga
25/09/2019
Protesters clashed with police outside parliament in Jakarta [Photo: BBC]

Police have fired tear gas and water cannons at protesters demonstrating outside the Indonesian parliament over a proposed new criminal code that would ban sex before marriage.

Protests against the bill also took place in other cities in the country.

The bill would outlaw most abortions and make insulting the president illegal.

BBC reports the bill has been delayed but protesters are concerned it could still eventually pass through parliament.

The proposed new criminal code includes the following: Sex before marriage would be criminalised and could result in a one‑year prison term

Living together outside marriage could lead to a six‑month prison sentence

Insulting the president, vice president, religion, state institutions and symbols such as the flag and national anthem would be illegal

Abortion would carry a maximum four‑year prison term if there were no circumstances of a medical emergency or rape

The bill was initially scheduled for a vote today ‑ however, President Joko Widodo postponed the vote stating that that new laws needed more consideration.

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