[JURIST] Hartmut Nassauer [official website], German head of a European Parliament [official website] delegation visiting Indonesia, said Friday that adopting Sharia law [CFR backgrounder] would negatively affect Indonesia's relations with other states. Nassaeur emphasized that Islamic law should not affect Indonesia's legal code, stating that the liberty of faith "includes the right to live without faith and consequently [an individual should not] have to obey a faith which is not [theirs]." Nassauer's statements follow the partial implementation of Sharia law by the self-governed region of Aceh.

Aceh [JURIST news archive] has enforced Muslim dress codes and obligations like the Salat (ritual prayer), Zakat (alms-giving), and Siyam (fasting). The province was granted self-governance [JURIST report] in July by the passage of legislation in the Indonesian House of Representatives [official website, in Bahasa Indonesian]. AFP has more.