indonesia
Sad backlash against this rainbow flag in Indonesia
The Indonesian government has summoned Britain’s ambassador after his embassy caused outrage in the country by flying a rainbow flag in Jakarta. With the exception of the one province of Aceh, homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia. However, the country’s LGBTIQ+ community faces widespread discrimination and stigma, and dangerous “conversion” therapy is common. Human rights …
Police reveal cause of Ryan Channing’s sudden death in Bali
Police in Indonesia have confirmed what caused the death of Australian businessman and model Ryan Channing in Bali earlier this month. Channing, who previously dated Ian Thorpe, went to hospital on May 6 after he fainted in a Bali villa. Two days later, he died in BIMC Hospital in Kuta. Channing was 32. Indonesian police …
Two men publicly caned 77 times for having sex at home in Indonesia
Two men in Indonesia’s Aceh province have been publicly caned 77 times after neighbours caught and reported them having sex in their home. Dozens of people watched on as authorities whipped the men across the back at Banda Aceh’s Tamansari city park this week. The two men, aged 27 and 29, resided at a boarding …
Lesbian couple deported after calling Bali ‘LGBT haven’
A lesbian social media influencer who promoted Bali as “queer-friendly” and an “LGBT haven” during the pandemic is facing deportation from Indonesia. In a series of tweets, American Kristen Gray described how she and her girlfriend, Saundra Alexander, were enjoying the island after arriving early last year. “This island has been amazing because of our …
Being gay is still a crime in sixty-nine countries around the world
Sixty-nine countries worldwide still criminalise consensual same-sex activity and at least half are actively using those laws to persecute LGBTIQ people, a new report has found. That’s according to global advocacy group ILGA World’s latest update to their State-Sponsored Homophobia report, released this week. “As of December 2020, 69 UN member states continue to criminalise …
Two Indonesian men caught having gay sex may be caned 100 times
Two men in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province are facing a public caning after neighbours caught them having gay sex in their boarding house. CNN Indonesia reported that other residents caught the two men, aged 27 and 28, after the boarding house’s owner noticed one had frequent male guests to his room. Safriadi, the head of …
Indonesian police detain dozens of men in ‘gay party’ raid
Police in Indonesia detained dozens of men who attended a “gay party” in Jakarta after they raided a hotel. Jakarta police spokesperson Yusri Yunus told the Associated Press officers arrested nine people suspected of organising the party, held on Saturday. Police released forty-seven others who participated in the event. But Yunus said police will charge …
Indonesian YouTuber faces 12 years jail for sick prank
Indonesian YouTuber Ferdian Paleka and two mates last week subjected two homeless trans women and a group of homeless kids to a cruel prank by pretending to distribute charitable food packs. The packs, in fact, contained rotten food and rocks. In a since-deleted video posted to YouTube, Paleka showed his car loaded up with ‘care …
Indonesian men escape murder charges after trans woman burned to death
Two of the men in Indonesia accused of burning a transgender woman to death have been charged with aggravated assault for the horrific crime. The violence took place on April 4 after the men accused Mira of stealing a truck driver’s phone and wallet. Late last week, North Jakarta police announced they had apprehended three …
Australian advocates demand justice for slain Indonesian trans woman
Australian LGBTIQ advocates have written to Indonesian authorities to demand justice in the horrific death of a transgender woman in Jakarta. Last weekend, a mob of men doused the woman, Mira, in petrol and burned her alive. A day later, she died of her wounds in hospital. Australian Transgender Support Association Queensland (ATSAQ) and national …