Resky Novianto, Jakarta – Indonesia is still a country which unfriendly to minorities such as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. An organisation which focuses on the rights of LGBT people, Rainbow Current (Arus Pelangi), has recorded 1,840 cases of persecution against LGBT people between 2006 and 2018.

Jakarta – The Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP) will further increase discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people.

This is because Article 421 (1) on indecent acts (pencabulan) explicitly cites indecent acts between people of the same sex.

On Friday the 21st of June 2019, the Ministry of Education and Culture resolved to work collaboratively with the Indonesian National Armed Forces in disseminating material to new students during school orientation week.

Jakarta – The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) emphatically opposes the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence believing that it contains Western feminist ideas which are anti-religion and has the potential to legalise Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) activities.

Felix Nathaniel – Social media has been abuzz after the TNI’s (Indonesian military) official Twitter account carried a cartoon about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) practices. The following day, the police (Polri) also spoke out on the issue saying that LGBT is a disease that requires early prevention.

Jakarta – The TNI’s (Indonesian military) information centre has verified that @Puspen_TNI uploaded a comic strip on its Twitter account explaining the risks of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) practices.

Irsyan Hasyim, Depok – The Depok City government along with the Depok Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) are discussing a draft regional regulation (raperda) against Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. But the policy has attracted protests from a number of groups including human rights and health organisations.

Supriyadi – The Depok municipal Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) has tabled a draft regional regulation (Raperda) against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT). Loosing Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto’s Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) is at the forefront of the anti-LGBT fight in Depok.

Irsyan Hasyim, Depok – The Depok Love Society has questioned the urgency of planned deliberations on an Anti-Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Draft Regional Regulation or Raperda Anti-LGBT by the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) which was proposed by the Depok municipal government (pemkot).

As the 2014-2019 term was coming to an end, the House of Representatives (DPR) were persistently trying to pass through a variety of draft legal revisions.

Mario Sofia Nasution, Padang – National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) Principle Secretary Nofrijal says that the sexual disease of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) is the main enemy of development and is calling on regional heads to fight against it.

Jakarta – Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) chairperson Asfinawati has drawn a comparison between the May 21 and 22 riots in Jakarta, the May 1998 riots and the 1974 Malari affair. She says that there are similarities between the three incidents.

Jakarta – The dismissal of a Central Java regional police officer Brigadier TT was a violation of National Police Chief Regulation (Perkap) Number 8/2009 on the Implementation of Human Rights Principles and Standards in Organising the Duties of the Indonesian National Police.

Pekanbaru – The Pekanbaru City Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) in Riau province has again embarked on a moral crusade by sweeping boarding houses and internet cafes that remain open late at night during the holy fasting month of Ramadan on Thursday May 16.

Hakim Ghani, Garut – The regent of Garut in West Java, Rudy Gunawan, has banned cinemas in his regency from screening the film Memories of My Body (Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku) by director Garin Nugroho because the film is deemed to conflict with religious norms.

Feru Lantara, Depok – The Depok Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) in West Java has issued a letter supporting the Depok government’s decision to ban the screening of the film Memories of My Body (Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku) at cinemas throughout Depok.

Chitra Paramaesti, Jakarta – The director of the film Memories of My Body (Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku), Garin Nugroho, has spoken out about an on-line petition rejecting his film which is currently being shown on the big screen.

Jakarta – The Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) has launched a report on an investigation into the human rights track record of the presidential and vice presidential candidates contesting the 2019 presidential elections (pilpres).

Agus Setyadi, Banda Aceh – The Brunei Darussalam sultanate has enacted laws ranging from canning to stoning to death for the crime of homosexuality. Prior to enacting the laws, Brunei conducted comparative studies in Aceh to learn about Islamic law.

Lampung Geh, Bandar Lampung – There has been support and opposition in the aftermath of the short story titled When Everyone Refuses My Presence Near Her (Ketika Semua Menolak Kehadiranku di Dekatnya), which was published on the Suara USU