Voyage to the vice police: Iran launches family fidelity tours

Despite popular protests and warnings from the tourism industry about the negative impact on the flow of tourists, the Indonesian parliament passed a law on imprisonment for sex without a formal marriage. Indonesia’s return to the fold of Muslim traditions has inspired the Islamic Republic of Iran, which the day before called itself “underestimated by tourists”, to take a win-win move in attracting them.

Having learned the details first hand, we tested the reaction to such a proposal from Russian tourists.

While nine Indonesian parties unanimously voted that Muslim morality is more important to the country than “the old Dutch code inherited from the colonialists,” Iran, through the head of the department of historical heritage of the Iranian province of Isfahan, replete with ancient World Heritage monuments, expressed slight resentment that “despite on the close economic cooperation of our countries, Russian tourists ignore Iran in favor of Turkey and the UAE.”

“We explain to the leadership that Russians choose these countries for their holidays, although they are also Muslim, because Sharia norms do not apply to tourists there,” an employee of the Isfahan travel agency, who studied in Russia, shares on condition of anonymity. “People pay for a trip so that they can relax and unwind on vacation. And in our country, even foreigners are not allowed to do anything – open clothes, alcohol, unmarried people to settle together, and so on.

– And they say that, although officially it is impossible, in fact you can buy alcohol and settle down.

– Of course, when there are prohibitions, there are smart people who help to get around them for a bribe. But not every tourist likes such an extreme, because it is still against the law. And if the vice police wants to take you away, they have every right to. Why risk vacationing in Iran if there is Turkey and the Emirates? But in our country, contrary to the requirements of the time, they strive to preserve the original Muslim morality, originality and go their own way, “without plunging into Western impersonality” – so they say. But then don’t expect a mass tourist either! Now Indonesia will face the same thing.

Meanwhile, tourism officials in Indonesia, and especially the island of Bali, which is popular with tourists, are diligently comforting potential guests from the “civilized” world, where you can indulge in carnal pleasures without the permission of the state:

“Parliament approved the amendment to the Criminal Code unanimously, so the law on 1 year in prison for sexual intercourse without marriage will definitely be adopted by December 15,” states the travel agency of the Balinese resort of Kuta. – It is stated that the new ban applies equally to the citizens of the country and its guests. But in fact, tourists may not worry for at least another couple of years. And after that, most likely, it will turn into only an additional reason to get rid of objectionable guests. But it is unlikely to become a topic for diligent catching of violators, especially among tourists.

Official sources confirm that the updated Indonesian Criminal Code, which also added criminal liability for adultery and “contraceptive propaganda”, will work no earlier than in three years, since new regulations must also be developed within the framework of the new law. As for tourists (although it is not officially stated that Indonesian laws do not apply to foreign citizens), they are explained that the punishment can be applied not on the fact that an unregistered couple settled in one room, but if they receive a complaint to the police. That is, when you move in, no one will require you to have a marriage certificate, but if a neighbor suddenly “stumbles” on you, a document check will be carried out. In the event that a foreigner engages in carnal love with a married Indonesian citizen, whether male or female, the police will primarily consider applications from the adulterer’s legal spouse, parents and children. If during the check it turns out that the complaint is true, even a foreign tourist can be arrested and thrown into prison for a period of 1 year.

“But the court will consider a police report, where there must be witnesses that an unregistered couple was engaged in an intimate affair,” says a Russian-speaking guide from Bali. – Agree, this is quite problematic. Well, what do they live in one room, tourists can always say that this is from savings. In fact, all this is not directed against tourists, but against the sphere of sex services, which has swept most of our youth of both sexes with easy money.

It is no coincidence that Iran followed with interest the developments in Indonesia, where hundreds of protesters with banners took to the streets against the revision of the Criminal Code in terms of morality and morality and staged a flash mob imitating a funeral – obviously, freedom of love.

“Iranian law works in approximately the same way: if a foreigner does not offend local believers with his behavior, then the vice police will not specifically spy on him, looking for a marriage stamp in his passport, sniffing out the smell of alcohol, and so on,” an Isfahan travel agency explains. – But a foreign guest must understand: if he suddenly becomes objectionable for other reasons, the formal reason for expulsion from the country, or even placement in a local prison, can be just one glass of alcohol or solitude with someone else’s wife, even if this is not an Iranian wife, and, for example, another Russian.

And here the Iranian officials showed ingenuity that was by no means inert, but very modern and timely. In any case, it exactly coincides with the Russian policy to strengthen the family.

– We will attract tourists in a new way – through the organization of family tours, during which the decent behavior of both spouses – fidelity, sobriety, decency – will be guaranteed by the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and carried out by the morality police, – they say in the Association of Tour Operators of the country where such an idea is widely discussed. – And then we will be chosen by those who value family relationships.

– Oh, great move! – reacts 38-year-old Muscovite Julia. – I, perhaps, will take mine to Iran. And then we have a vacation, so problems. My husband will pawn behind the collar at the airport, so then I just wait for new miracles for the rest of my vacation. And in the room of a strange woman, I found him in Hurghada. But, alas or ah, he did not wander there out of fatal passion, but mixed up the doors drunk. And she, too, was so good after the bar that she didn’t even notice that a strange drunk man was snoring next to her.

Yulia is not alone: ​​in thematic chats, many Russian wives of their husbands, who especially like to party on vacation, reported that “they are even ready to pay extra for prohibition and the morality police.” So, Iran, the guarantor of family fidelity, wait for the guests from Russia!