75 people have reportedly been arrested in Bogor, Indonesia, after a raid on what police have described as a ‘gay party’.

Indonesian police confirmed 23 June that they conducted the raid on a gathering the day before in the city of Bogor, which is near the country’s capital city, Jakarta.

Police described the raid as a “gay party” in the village of the Puncak area, with 74 men and 1 woman arrested.

According to Amnesty International, an international non-governmental organisation focused on human rights, the local police chief said the raid was conducted after public reports of “gay activities” at the location.

Police reportedly claim that sex toys, four condoms and a sword “used for a dance performance” were secured as evidence.

The arrested participants were reportedly taken to Bogor Police Headquarters for further questioning, including HIV tests. No one arrested has yet been named at time of publication.

In Indonesia, homosexuality is not illegal at the national level, but faces significant legal and social challenges. Those arrested could face prison terms of up to 15 years under Indonesia’s Pornography Law.

The law does not specifically target homosexuality, but ambiguous wording means that it can target material that “contravenes norms of community morality”, and be exploited to therefore persecute LGBTQ+ people.

Wirya Adiwena, the Deputy Director for Amnesty International Indonesia, said: “This discriminatory raid on a privately rented villa is a blatant violation of human rights and privacy that exemplifies the hostile environment for LGBTI people in Indonesia. This gathering violated no law and posed no threat.

“The Indonesian authorities must end these hate-based and humiliating raids. No one should be subjected to arrest, intimidation or public shaming because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

“The police must immediately release all those arrested. Indonesia’s government must also take urgent steps to ensure accountability for human rights violations committed by the police, and work toward creating an environment where LGBTI individuals and their allies can live free from fear and harassment.”

According to the organisation, “police detained nine people following a raid on a “gay sex party” at a hotel in South Jakarta on 24 May, while 56 individuals were detained for participating in “a gay party” in a raid on a different hotel in South Jakarta on 1 February.”

In December 2022, the Indonesian parliament passed a criminal code that makes all sex outside marriage punishable by up to a year in prison, leaving same-sex couples, who are not allowed to marry, at risk of prosecution. 

The province of Aceh, which is governed by Sharia Law, sees LGBT practices as a violation of such.

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