Indonesian police have raided the homes of “suspected lesbians” as part of an ongoing crackdown on suspected LGBTI people. Human Rights Watch protested the actions as invasions of privacy and human rights abuses. Continue reading
Category Archives: Asia
Family forced him to marry; he chose death instead
This is the story of Sajjad, a young Bangladeshi man who was full of life, forever beaming with a smile and good humour, who never stopped battling through life’s tempests and making time to serve people around him. Until one day the battle became too much for him. Continue reading
Court paves the way to overturning India’s anti-gay law
India’s Supreme Court today boosted the chances of overturning the country’s anti-gay law, Section 377, as it declared that all Indian citizens have a fundamental right to privacy. Continue reading
Indian Supreme Court: Ruling might overturn anti-LGBT law
India’s Supreme Court has raised hopes that it might overturn its 2013 ruling that reinstated the country’s anti-homosexuality law. But the court’s phrasing sounded like a warning that the court doesn’t want to overturn the law. Continue reading
‘Now Indonesia Wants to Hide Its Floggings’
Confronted with international outrage over the public flogging of gay men, the Indonesian province of Aceh has moved the floggings indoors. Continue reading
Afghanistan: Men have sex with boys, deny it’s pedophilia
In Afghanistan, as part of an illegal but traditional practice, men recruit young boys, luring them with gifts and money with the intention of having sex with them. They do it under the guise of a disgusting old sexual traditional practice called “bacha bazi” (boy play). Continue reading
Indonesian Muslim leader urges boycott of pro-LGBT Starbucks
A leader of Indonesia’s second-largest Muslim organization has called for a boycott of the Starbucks coffee chain because of its LGBT-friendly policies. Continue reading
After misstep, Malaysian officials learn about LGBT issues
In Malaysia, a video competition on adolescent sexual and reproductive health from the Ministry of Health sparked outrage among human rights activists, who understood it as homophobic and transphobic. Continue reading
International coalition targets Indonesia’s anti-LGBT abuses
Dozens of organizations worldwide have formed a coalition seeking to end persecution of LGBT people in Indonesia. In the following statement, the coalition asks for support from allies worldwide: Continue reading
Commentary: Indonesian police fuel anti-LGBT hysteria
Indonesia’s national police force should immediately investigate recent raids by local law enforcement on gatherings of gay men, Human Rights Watch said [June 2] in a letter to national police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian. Indonesia’s police leadership should commit to ending the targeting of sexual minorities and uphold their obligation to protect everyone’s basic rights … Continue reading
