Which Countries are Adultery illegal?

Which Countries are Adultery illegal? Did you know that 17% of American divorces are caused by infidelity? It’s something we all hope never happens to us, but it does happen a lot in the US.

But did you know that adultery is still illegal throughout the world? Some countries may prosecute a spouse for cheating, even though most of us wish we could punish them.

It sounds crazy, but it’s true. In case you’re wondering ‘where is adultery illegal’, let’s look at some countries where it is.

Some Middle Eastern countries that adhere to Sharia law – a form of Islamic law – use legal punishments like imprisonment, fines, and exile for acts of infidelity, especially where religion influences the law.

Even the same applies to the United States, where some states allow cheated individuals to sue in civil court.

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Countries Where Adultery is illegal?

It is illegal to commit adultery in several countries. There are some countries where they are simply non-cognizable offenses and those who commit them will receive no real punishment – you can read more here. A person who commits an adulterous act may face real consequences in other cases.

The countries where cheating on your spouse could lead to court action.

Some of them you should know about are:

Taiwan

Adultery is punishable by up to one year in prison in Taiwan. It applies to both sexes. In Taiwanese law, this only applies if there has been fornication.

Sexual acts that don’t involve intercourse outside of the marriage aren’t considered adultery. It is difficult to prove this, however, because there is not enough evidence. Private detectives can obtain photos of suspected spouses’ acts if they hire a private investigator.

Philippines

Adultery can be charged in the Philippines if a woman engages in a sexual act with a man who isn’t her husband.

However, married men are held to a different standard. If he has sex under ‘scandalous’ circumstances or has a mistress at home, he will be charged.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is a strict Islamic country that follows Sharia Law, but there is no written penal code for adultery. The death penalty for adultery is enshrined in Sharia Law.

When a person is found guilty of a crime, they are often stoned to death. A confession from the accused party or four male witnesses / eight female witnesses can be used to prove adultery.

Saudi Arabia routinely enforces the death penalty, unlike some of the other countries on this list. According to Amnesty International, it has the third-highest number of executions annually. Despite most capital punishments being for crimes like murder or drug offenses, at least one execution for adultery has been recorded in the country in recent years.

Somalia

Sharia law is strictly followed in Somalia as well, just like in Saudi Arabia. As a result, adultery is once again punishable by death – usually by stoning.

As in Saudi Arabia, four eyewitnesses of good character must testify to adultery for the court to determine whether adultery has taken place. If the accused refuses to confess, he or she must give a freely given confession.

The United States of America:Which Countries are Adultery illegal?

Adultery is illegal in some states across the US, which may surprise you. Adultery is a Class 3 misdemeanor in Arizona, which means cheaters could spend up to 30 days in jail!

An individual who lives in an ‘open state of adultery’ in Florida is guilty of a second-degree misdemeanor. A fine of up to $500 or even a prison sentence of two months is possible if this is the case.

Engaging in ‘intercourse or sodomy’ with someone who isn’t your spouse is illegal in Kansas. The crime is also a Class C misdemeanor that can result in a fine of $500 or a month in prison.

The Illinois penal code also prohibits adultery, which carries up to a year in jail and a fine of $2500. When the cheater is aware that the other party is married, this law also applies to the person with whom they are cheating.

Nepal

As per Nepalese law, adultery is defined as having sex with a married man’s wife and committing a crime against him. There is a penalty for both the man who sleeps with his wife and the woman herself who sleeps with him.

They could be sentenced to one or two months in jail and fined between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 2,000 if convicted.

Pakistan

In accordance with Islamic tradition, adultery has been illegal in Pakistan since 1979 under the Hadood Ordinance. Since 2006, the Protection of Women Act has amended parts of that ordinance, requiring the local courts to oversee adultery charges, and allowing more than 1,000 women accused of adultery to be released on bail.

Afghanistan

According to the Sexual Rights Database, adulterers in Afghanistan are sentenced to long prison terms. It has been argued by human rights groups that the law does not differentiate between sex crimes, which means that rape victims may be accused of adultery because of the law’s non-discrimination.

Sudan

Adultery is a capital crime punishable by stoning in Sudan under the Criminal Act of 1991. Several women (including expecting mothers) have been sentenced under this law, but there is no evidence that the death penalty has been applied.

In 2007, two women were sentenced to death by stoning for adultery in Sudan, but their sentences were never carried out. Most stoning sentences are given to women; however, executions of women are rare worldwide, according to commentaries on a United Nations forum.

Uganda

If a woman commits adultery in Uganda, she could spend six months in prison.

According to Sexual Rights Database, the government nullified this law following a constitutional court case in 2007, but it has still not been removed from the constitution or nullified with a provisional statement.

Conclusion

In Islamic countries, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Somalia, fornication outside of marriage is strictly prohibited. Fines, arbitrary detentions, imprisonment, flogging, and in extreme cases, the death penalty, are some punishments that can result from prosecutions. However, there are still some other states in the US that are against adultery.

External resource: Wikipedia

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