A controversial law has been officially passed in Indonesia. Many tourists who plan to visit Bali soon are very concerned about this news. Although the new regulations apply to everyone in Indonesia, including citizens and visitors, there are only a handful of very specific situations in which unmarried foreigners in Bali could be in violation of the law.

The Indonesian Parliament approved substantial changes to the Indonesian Criminal Code (RKUJP) on December 6, 2022. Since the Act criminalizes a wide range of other political freedoms in addition to cohabitation and sex before marriage, the significant changes have caused legitimate concerns for Indonesian people.

While much of the media is focusing on “Bali’s Bonking Ban,” many have stated that the real concern should be the restriction of freedoms and rights for Indonesian citizens.

However, it is legitimate for visitors to be concerned about how the new rules will affect them when they visit Indonesia. The new laws were only recently passed by the parliament; it could take up to three years for them to take effect. Legal experts predict that there will be even more opposition to the new laws, which could drag out the process even further. Many political experts have predicted that it will be difficult to police the new laws.

According to the legislation, the couple can be reported to the police only by a close friend or relative. Only those who might be adversely affected by the relationship – such as a parent, a child, or a spouse in the case of an extramarital affair – can report cohabitation or sex before marriage to the police.

Therefore, there are few circumstances in which international visitors to Bali can get into trouble. The most likely scenario is when a foreigner enters into a relationship or begins cohabiting with an Indonesian. If a parent or sibling objects and informs the police about the couple, an investigation can be launched and charges filed.

Another, much less likely possibility is that an unmarried international couple traveling with their family to Indonesia would be reported to the police by local law enforcement officials

Even hotel owners in Bali are concerned about how the law will affect their ability to offer their services. Bali is taking measures to crack down on unruly visitors, but in general the island is quite tolerant of unmarried couples.

In Indonesia, extramarital sex has been banned for many years. However, charges could only be acquired by an angry spouse in the event of an affair. In Bali and other liberal regions of Indonesia, the law was hardly enforced.

The post Confusions About Bali’s New Law For Unmarried Couples Explained  appeared first on Traveling Lifestyle.

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By: Maria Valencia
Title: Confusions About Bali’s New Law For Unmarried Couples Explained 
Sourced From: www.travelinglifestyle.net/confusions-about-balis-new-law-for-unmarried-couples-explained/
Published Date: Fri, 09 Dec 2022 19:22:17 +0000

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