Last week, the embassy also had posted a rainbow flag photo on Instagram to mark the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, with text that said: “The U.K. On Monday, Indonesia summoned the United Kingdom’s envoy after the British embassy came under fire from conservative Muslim groups and politicians here for flying a rainbow flag in support of sexual minorities.įoreign Ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah called the embassy’s move “utterly insensitive.” “Allowing promiscuity is against … the constitution,” she added, but declined to give details.Īnti-LGBT sentiment has been growing in Indonesia lately. She also said there were clauses criminalizing “deviant sexual behavior.” LGBT included,” she told BenarNews on Tuesday. “Yes, it’s true is subjected to criminal punishment.
However, a contentious new bill to amend Indonesia’s criminal code contains provisions that would criminalize sex outside marriage, including homosexual acts, said Kurniasih Mufidayati, a lawmaker involved in deliberating the bill that may be passed in July. It is only in Aceh province where a version of Islamic law, or sharia, is in force, punishable by up to 100 lashes of the cane. Homosexuality and extramarital sex are not outlawed in Muslim-majority Indonesia, but some among the more conservative followers of Islam here view them as vices.
Indonesia’s parliament is debating a bill that would outlaw so-called deviant sexual behavior, raising alarm among human rights activists about a possible increase in violence against LGBTQ people.