20 July 2026
Civil Society Organizations (CSO) and Community-led organizations (CLO) across Asia-Pacific express profound concern over the rapidly deteriorating situation facing LGBTQIA+ communities in Indonesia. The recent wave of hostility, fuelled by political rhetoric, discriminatory policies, and organised acts of intimidation, represents a serious threat to human rights, civic freedoms, and democratic values in the region.
In recent months, LGBTQIA+ individuals have experienced increasing levels of harassment both online and offline. Particularly concerning is the spread of online campaigns such as the “Anti-Boti” movement, which has amplified moral panic, misinformation, and public calls to identify, expose, shame, and punish people perceived to be queer. The increasingly hostile environment has also translated into acts of public humiliation and violence. A recent viral incident, reported by BBC News Indonesia, showed a transgender woman being verbally abused and having urine thrown at her by a group of young men while the assault was filmed and shared online. Rather than being an isolated incident, the attack reflects the growing normalisation of anti-LGBTQIA+ hate, where public humiliation is increasingly used as a means of intimidating and dehumanising gender-diverse communities.
These narratives have contributed to a climate in which harassment and exclusion are increasingly normalised both online and offline. Freedom of religion or belief must never be invoked to justify violence, discrimination, or the denial of other people’s rights. Public morality cannot serve as a licence for persecution, and national security must not be used as a basis for criminalising identity.
Recent documentation by Human Rights Watch and Indonesian civil society organisations points to an escalation in harassment against LGBTQIA+ communities in Indonesia, including public outing, digital harassment, intimidation, discrimination within educational institutions, arbitrary raids on private gatherings, and attacks by vigilante groups. Human Rights Watch also cites data from Arus Pelangi documenting 94 incidents of violence affecting 141 LGBTQ individuals during 2024–2025.
This increase of violence was observed following the proposals to criminalise LGBTQIA+ related activities. The Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) has confirmed that it is preparing a draft law to support such legislation, while several legislators have publicly expressed support for advancing the initiative. Beyond their legal implications, these proposals risk restricting freedom of expression and association, undermining access to healthcare, and shrinking the civic space available for community-led advocacy.
Nationally, the government itself is using national security narratives to portray LGBTQIA+ people as threats to society. The Presidential Regulation No. 111 of 2025, which identifies the alleged “dissemination of LGBTQ culture” as a non-military threat within Indonesia’s National Defence Strategy for 2026–2029. Although the regulation does not directly criminalise LGBTQIA+ people, framing LGBTQIA+ identities within a national security context risks legitimising increased surveillance, discrimination, and restrictions on the rights and freedoms of individuals based solely on their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics.
“The criminalization of key populations, including transgender sex workers, only deepens their vulnerability across multiple aspects of life, particularly their health and well-being. Rather than fulfilling its duty to protect, the state fails in its obligation to safeguard their rights, while creating an environment that fuels horizontal violence, stigma, discrimination, and abuse within civil society “ – Trans Sex Worker in Indonesia
A strong nation is built upon the rights, empowerment, and well-being of its people
Every individual deserves to live free from violence and discrimination. Access to health, education, employment, justice, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and personal privacy are fundamental human rights that belong to everyone without exception.
We, the Civil Society Organization, calls upon the Government of Indonesia to:
1. Review and amend policies that frame LGBTQIA+ communities as security threats or otherwise legitimise discrimination.
2. Reject legislative proposals that seek to criminalise individuals based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics.
3. Ensure that law enforcement agencies protect all individuals from harassment, violence, intimidation, and vigilante attacks, regardless of their identity, and ensure access to justice.
4. Investigate and hold accountable individuals or groups responsible for acts of violence, hate speech, doxxing, and unlawful raids targeting LGBTQIA+ persons and human rights defenders.
5. Guarantee universal access to healthcare including sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), education, employment, legal protection, and public services without discrimination.
Beyond Boundary, We Need to Defend Equality for Everyone.
Regional solidarity has never been more important. An erosion of rights in one country weakens the protection of rights throughout the region. Civil Society Organization and Community-led organizations remain committed to working alongside communities, partners, and human rights defenders to promote equality, inclusion, and the dignity of every individual.
We, the Civil Society Organization across Asia-Pacific, further calls upon ASEAN, the United Nations, national human rights institutions, development partners, and international civil society to:
1. Closely monitor the evolving human rights situation in Indonesia.
2. Support local organisations providing emergency protection, legal assistance, mental health services, and humanitarian support.
3. Amplify credible information from affected communities while respecting their privacy and security.
4. Reaffirm that universal human rights apply equally to all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics.
Endorsement of the Press Statement and Call for Action:
1. Asia Pacific Network of Services Workers ( APNSW)
2. Youth LEAD
3. APCOM
4. APTN
5. Wagayway Equality
6. Youth Voices Count
7. YIFoS Indonesia (Youth Interfaith Forum on Sexuality)
8. GAYa NUSANTARA
9. JEJAKA (Malaysia)
10. Pertubuhan Kesihatan Dan Kebajikan Umum Malaysia
11. Mahila Sahayogi Samuha (MSS), Nepal
12.Sex Worker in Myanmar_Taw Win Kha Yay Network (SWiM)
13. ALTSEAN-Burma
14. SEED Malaysia
15. Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (APA)
16. Time To Be Out
17. Global LGBTIQ+ Asylum and Forced Migration Observatory (GLASO)
18. Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP)
19. Empower Foundation – Thailand
20. SWAN Nepal
21. VNSW- Vietnam
22. YPEER Sri Lanka
23. Voice of Sexual Rights-Philippines
24. Global Alliance against Traffic in Women (GAATW)
25. Sex Workers Network,Bangladesh
26. Indonesian Social Change Organization (OPSI)
27. ICS Center – Vietnam
28. AWID
29. Pelangi Nusantara
30. YOUNITE Global
31. International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA)
32.Misfyt Transgender Youth Foundation, India
33. Asia Feminist LBQ Network (AFLN)
34. Equality Australia
35. Balaram Dey Street Anandam (BDSA), Kolkata, India
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