Indonesia bans Valentine's Day

ASTANA. KAZINFORM The authorities inseveral regions of Indonesia banned Valentine's Day celebration, saying it runs counter to their Islamic traditions, Kazinform has learnt from Lenta.ru

According to Reuters, in the city of Makassar on Sulawesi Island, police raided minimarts and seized condoms. Henceforth minimarkets are prohibited from selling condoms to teenagers and young people.

In 2012 Indonesia's highest Islamic clerical council declared Valentine's Day forbidden by Islamic law. In Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia, authorities ordered schools to ban students from celebrating Valentine's Day "in or outside of school".

It is worth noting that Indonesia proclaims itself a secular country whose state ideology enshrines religious diversity.