Indonesia Classifies LGBTQ+ Culture A “Non-Military Threat” Alongside Terrorism

Indonesia, one of Australia’s closest neighbours sitting a mere 165km from our Northern border, has declared the spread of LBGTQ+ culture a “non-military threat to the state”.

The so-called Presidential Regulation No.111 on General Policy for National Defense, signed by President Prabowo Subianto in October 2025, positions the dissemination of queer culture as a risk to international security, alongside other designated non-military threats such as terrorism, separatism, and radicalism.

As it stands, LGBTQ+ people in Indonesia are currently offered no legal protections against discrimination.

This Policy Is A Year Old, Why Are We Only Noticing It Now?

While the policy was first signed in 2025, it only recently garnered international scrutiny after the Ulema Council of Indonesia (MUI), the country’s highest Islamic clerical authority, proposed to draft a parliamentary bill that would criminalise the promotion of LGBTQ+ culture and rights.

The retaliatory proposition arose following Pride Month of June 2026, and appeared to be a direct response to a social media post by the student board of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Indonesia, which correctly stated there is no scientific evidence that homosexuality is a mental disorder or form of deviance. The post was subsequently removed.

Amnesty International Speaks Out Against Indonesia’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Policy

Recently, Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director, Usman Hamid, spoke out against the policy.

“We express our profound concern regarding Indonesia’s Presidential Regulation No. 111 of 2025 on General Policy for National Defense,” said Hamid. “By classifying the spread of LGBTQI+ culture as a non-military threat to the state and placing it within the same category as terrorism, separatism and radicalism, this regulation institutionalizes systematic discrimination against already marginalized people.

“Such legal frameworks violate human rights and foster an environment where LGBTQI+ persons are highly susceptible to immediate threat, discrimination and harassment by both state and non-state actors.”

Hamid also cautioned the flow-on effects this policy could promote, including the suppression of freedom of expression in both civil and academic contexts.

“The recent backlash against the Student Executive Board (BEM) of the Faculty of Psychology at the Universitas Indonesia is an example of this. Sharing scientifically backed information, such as the American Psychological Association’s consensus that homosexuality is not a mental disorder, is a fundamental exercise of free speech, not a threat to national security. 

“The forced removal of this post, compounded by statements of support for the regulation from lawmakers and influential organizations like the Indonesian Ulema Council, sets a dangerous precedent for censorship.”

Hamid went on to condemn the intimidation and doxing of the university’s student journalists who published content relating to Pride Month, before offering his final remarks.

“Amnesty International Indonesia unequivocally condemns these attacks and intimidation by both state and non-state actors based on perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. We urgently call upon the Indonesian government to repeal this regulation and uphold its constitutional mandates and the international human rights treaties it has ratified.

“Authorities must take immediate action to protect LGBTQI+ persons from hate speech, threats, and violence. It is the state’s duty to ensure that all citizens can exercise their basic rights in a safe, enabling environment, free from harassment and fear.”