Indonesia

An Indonesian bomb builder convicted for his role in the deadly nightclub assaults in Bali in 2002 has apologized to the relatives of the victims, after his release from prison was met with fury in Australia. Umar Patek, a member of the al Qaeda-affiliated Jemaah Islamiyah group, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2012 for his role in …

The new law, dubbed the “Bali bonking ban,” punishes unmarried couples who engage in sexual activity with up to a year in prison, or six months for those who cohabit. However, the governor of Bali, a popular tourist destination, stated that authorities would not verify the marital status of tourists. The law is scheduled to go into force in three …

The recently passed Indonesian criminal code will not endanger visitors to Bali, according to the island’s governor, who dismissed worries that amended regulations criminalizing sexual activity outside of marriage may deter tourists from visiting the island. The Indonesian parliament enacted the contentious measure prohibiting cohabitation between unmarried couples last week. In an effort to reassure tourists, Bali’s governor Wayan Koster …

As the Covid epidemic decreases, international tourists are returning to the famous resort island of Bali, inspiring optimism that Indonesia’s devastated tourism economy is on the mend. This week, however, contentious new rules were enacted that prohibit cohabitation and sexual activity outside of marriage. The restrictions would not only apply to citizens, but also to foreign expats and visitors in …

Umar Patek, a bomb-maker in the 2002 Bali bombings, has been granted parole in Indonesia, the ministry of law and human rights said on Wednesday, December 7. Patek, a member of the Al Qaeda-affiliated Jemaah Islamiyah, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2012 for mixing the explosives that exploded in two Bali nightclubs, killing 202 individuals, including 88 …

Monday, December 5th, thousands of residents in East Java, Indonesia, were placed on high alert after a strong eruption at the island’s largest volcano caused authorities to enforce an 8-kilometer no-go zone and evacuate entire communities. The provincial search and rescue agency dispatched teams to the worst-affected districts near Mount Semeru to examine damage, according to Tholib Vatelehan, a spokesperson …

This month, the Indonesian parliament is poised to enact a new criminal law that will punish sexual activity outside of marriage with up to a year in prison. Bambang Wuryanto, a lawmaker participating in the drafting process, stated that the code may be approved as early as the following week. If passed, the law will apply to both Indonesian nationals …

A lawsuit claims that 12 Indonesian families have filed claims against the government and the companies allegedly responsible for supplying the tainted cough syrups after relatives therein passed away or suffered injuries. Since August, there has been an increase in acute kidney injury cases in the Southeast Asian nation, and the deaths of at least 199 people—mostly children—have prompted an …

On Friday, November 25, hundreds of Indonesians prayed in the open alongside rice paddies and in the streets as the dead toll from an earthquake that leveled their town in western Java increased to 310. Muslim cleric Muhamad Jamhur led a congregation in prayer in an outdoor volleyball court just 200 meters (0.1 miles) from a mosque whose walls were …

Thursday, November 24, Indonesian officials battled to deliver help to thousands of people affected by a catastrophic earthquake in western Java, as rain-triggered landslides and challenging mountainous terrain hindered rescue teams’ operations. Monday’s magnitude 5.6 earthquake in the town of Cianjur, approximately 75 kilometers (50 miles) south of the capital of Jakarta, resulted in the deaths of at least 271 …