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Indonesian sex ban: what exactly does it mean for tourists? Australia asks for clarity
- Canberra is ‘seeking further clarity’ after Jakarta approved legislation to overhaul its criminal code and outlaw sex outside marriage
- Indonesia is a major holiday destination for Australians – before the pandemic, more than a million a year visited the island of Bali alone
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Australia said on Wednesday it was seeking more information on Indonesia’s move to criminalise sex outside marriage, as the ban’s impact on tourists to Bali and other parts of the majority-Muslim nation remained unclear.
Canberra said it was “seeking further clarity” after Jakarta approved legislation to overhaul its criminal code and outlaw sex outside marriage on Tuesday.
“We understand these revisions will not come into force for three years, and we await further information on how the revisions will be interpreted as implementing regulations are drafted and finalised,” a foreign affairs spokeswoman said in a statement.
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Officials would “regularly and carefully reassess the risks to Australians overseas”, and would “continue to monitor the situation closely”, she added.
02:39
Indonesia passes law banning premarital and extramarital sex
Indonesia passes law banning premarital and extramarital sex
Indonesia, northwest of Australia, is a major holiday destination for those Down Under, with the largely Hindu island of Bali famous for its beaches, nightlife and pumping surf.
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Before the pandemic, more than a million Australians a year visited the island.
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