Indonesia could be set to ban gay and non-marital sex

Indonesia could be set to ban gay and non-marital sex
Image: A man being publicly caned for gay sex in Indonesia in 2017.

Indonesia may be about to ban gay sex as well as all sex outside of marriage.

The new laws, which would see up to five-year prison sentences for convictions, could be voted on this month, News.com.au has reported.

An Indonesian parliamentary committee has proposed 800 amendments to the country’s existing criminal code.

While gay sex is currently only illegal in the province of Aceh, reports have increased of LGBTI persecution by police in other parts of the country, including forced “re-education” of trans women to behave like men, and arrests of gay men using saunas.

Earlier this month, Indonesia classified homosexuality as a “mental disorder”.

The UN human rights chief recently condemned the country’s rising intolerance of LGBTI people.

“The hateful rhetoric against this community that is being cultivated seemingly for cynical political purposes will only deepen their suffering and create unnecessary divisions,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein last week.

“At a time when [Indonesia] is consolidating its democratic gains, we urge Indonesians to move forward—not backwards—on human rights.”

Human rights groups have condemned the proposed legal amendments.

The bill could be sent to the Indonesian House of Representatives for a vote by the end of the month.

Greens Senator Janet Rice last month wrote to Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop to condemn Indonesia’s treatment of LGBTI people and urge action by raising the matter with the embassy in Australia.

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