Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Friday called for a delay in passing a new law that would outlaw gay and pre-marital sex after the controversial plan sparked a public outcry.
The proposed criminal code overhaul should get a closer look given the backlash, Widodo said, as he asked that parliament scrap a planned vote on the revisions before its session ends next week.
The mooted changes could affect millions in the world’s biggest Muslim majority country, including gay and heterosexual couples who might face jail for having sex outside wedlock or having an affair.
On Friday, the Australian embassy in Jakarta issued a fresh travel advisory for Indonesia, warning that the legislation could put unmarried foreign tourists in the crosshairs. Read more