Posted on 02/05/2023 6:04:10 PM PST by marshmallow
Indonesia's Constitutional Court has upheld a nearly five-decade-old law that bans interfaith marriages, rejecting a Catholic man's petition seeking to marry his Muslim partner.
In a verdict on Jan. 31, seven out of nine judges dismissed the lawsuit from Ramos Patege and defended the 1974 Marriage Act.
Patege's counsel argued that the law violates the constitutional rights of the couple, and infringes on their freedom to embrace a religion and belief of their choice.
Wahiduddin Adams, one of the judges, stated that a provision of the laws states that "a marriage is said to be valid if it is carried out according to the laws of each religion and belief" and so it does not impede anyone's freedom of religion and belief.
"The regulatory provisions are about legal marriage according to religion and belief, not about the right to choose a religion and belief," he said.
He also claimed that the choice to embrace a religion and belief remains the right of each person to choose, adhere to, and believe in it.
He also said there has been no change in circumstances and conditions or new developments related to issues of constitutionality that warrant a change in the law.
"The court remains in its stance on the constitutionality of a valid marriage, which is done according to religion and belief," he said.
Meanwhile, two other judges, Suhartoyo and Daniel Yusmic Foekh, a Catholic, gave concurring opinions, stating that the law needed to be changed in order to answer the real realities at this time, but left that task to the parliament and the government.
(Excerpt) Read more at ucanews.com ...
" I want to marry her,"
" I dont care if her family wants me dead.
she touched my pee-pee!
Their country, their rules.
.
Sounds like the judges in this case were basically Constitutionalists, voting to uphold their constitution as currently written. Just like here: Is the law badly written? Get it changed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.