Indonesia’s new sex laws could turn bedrooms into ‘Batman traps’ for the unwary: Analysts

Activists protesting outside Indonesia's Parliament in December 2022 as a new criminal code is set to be passed.

PHOTO: EPA

Arlina Arshad

Indonesia's new Criminal Code (KUHP), effective January 2026, criminalises adultery and cohabitation, requiring family member complaints for enforcement.
The law aims to align with Indonesian values, replacing a colonial-era code, but analysts warn of potential misuse and social fallout.
The new law's impact remains unclear, as it could potentially curb vigilante justice but might also turn into a tool for personal or political vendettas.

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JAKARTA –

Indonesia

’s new penal code

stops short of direct state intrusion into private life, but critics warn it may still bring courtrooms into bedrooms, turning intimacy into legal risk.

Analysts say the complaint-based system could turn homes into arenas of public morality, leaving those accused caught between family pressure and public scrutiny, with enforcement driven by relatives rather than the state.

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Indonesia

Crime

Law and legislation

Sex

Moral values/ethics