Nine men in Indonesia are facing fines and up to 15 years in jail after police raided a “gay party” in a Jakarta hotel. Jakarta police spokesperson Yusri Yunus said nine people suspected of organising the party on Saturday August 29 were arrested, and 47 others who participated were released.

Homosexuality is technically not illegal in Indonesia except in the conservative Aceh province, so the party’s organisers are instead being charged under a pornography law which carries a hefty prison sentence.

“There is no legal justification for criminalising the behaviour these men are accused of. Such a gathering would pose no threat to anyone,” said Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director Usman Hamid. “The authorities are being discriminatory and violating the human rights to privacy and family life, freedom of expression, and the freedom of assembly and association.”

Discrimination against LGBT+ people is widespread in Indonesia as the Muslim-majority country becomes increasingly intolerant towards gay rights.

Source: PinkNews

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