Raids on Indonesia’s LGBTQ+ community follow UK rapist’s conviction

Warning: This article contains information about sexual assault.

A mayor has ordered raids on the LGBTIQ+ community in the Indonesian city of Depok in West Java in response to a rape conviction in the UK.

The Guardian has reported that the mayor of Depok has urged citizens to report LGBTIQ+ people and activity to authorities, after former resident Reynhard Sinaga was found guilty of 159 sexually related offences in Great Britain last week.

Mayor Idris Abdul Shomad is calling for people to report “deviant behaviour”, has ordered police to conduct raids to “uncover LGBT behaviour” and is working with other government agencies to stop the “spread of LGBT”.

Jakarta queer rights advocate Lini Zurlia told The Guardian that the queer community is devastated.

“Since the cast went public, I have personally been harassed online by people saying that Sinaga is ‘part of my circle’ and that I would defend him and I am sure other activists are also experiencing the same,” Zurlia said.

“Focus on Sinaga’s sexual orientation rather than the rape case itself. It’s also affecting individuals in our community because some of them are getting emotionally attacked from their family, as if being gay is to ‘be like Sinaga.'”

Homosexuality is not illegal in Depok’s province of West Java. The only Indonesian province to outlaw homosexuality is Aceh, a conservative region under sharia law.

OIP Staff