| Home > South-East Asia >> Aceh | |
Aceh's new Islamic laws violate rights: HRW
Jakarta Post - October 2, 2014
The HRW said in a statement that the principles of the Islamic bylaw and the Islamic criminal code (Qanun Jinayah) approved by the Aceh Legislative Council on Sept.27 created new discriminatory offenses that did not exist in the Criminal Code
"The two new bylaws deny people in Aceh the fundamental rights of expression, privacy and freedom of religion," HRW deputy Asia director Phelim Kine said in a release made available to The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
The bylaws, which extend sharia, or Islamic law, to non-Muslims, criminalize consensual same-sex sexual acts as well as "zina" – adultery or sexual relations outside of marriage.
The criminal code imposes a punishment up to 100 lashes and up to 100 months in prison for consensual same-sex sexual acts, while "zina" violations carry a penalty of 100 lashes.
"Criminalizing same-sex relations is a huge backward step that the Indonesian government should condemn and repeal. Whipping as punishment should have been left behind in the Middle Ages," said Kine.
HRW said President-elect Joko "Jokowi' Widodo, who will take office on Oct.20, should direct his home affairs minister to review local laws that might be discriminatory with a view to revising or abolishing them.
He should also petition the Supreme Court to review the compatibility of the bylaws with the Constitution and national laws. "Indonesia's incoming president should treat Aceh's abusive new bylaws as an opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to human rights, and have them repealed," said Kine.
"People in Aceh should enjoy the same rights and freedoms as all Indonesians." (ebf)
See also:
 |