ICJR Condemns Discrimination Against LGBT by Indonesian Police, Military

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) condemned the acts of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police (Polri) toward their alleged LGBT members, arguing it as a blatant act of discrimination that not only violates the law but also the Constitution. 

“The repressive decision is a form of discrimination that attacks sexual orientation and a person’s gender expression that is protected by the law and constitution,” wrote the ICJR executive director Erasmus Napitupulu in a statement released on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Erasmus asserted that Indonesian citizens’ rights to privacy, expression, and equality before the law also cover a person’s sexual preference. Therefore, the act of discrimination against them due to their LGBT views is a legal violation. 

Polri on Tuesday announced that they would sanction police personnel with alleged sexual orientations that deviate from what the police institution classifies as normal.

Police’s human resources assistant Insp. Gen. Sutrisno Yudi Hermawan said that the internal affairs division (Propam) handled this issue within the institution. 

However, inspector Hermawan did not detail the number of police personnel and how severe the sanctions that were handed to the members involved.

“The law has been enforced,” said Sutrisno at the police headquarters in South Jakarta on Tuesday, October 20. When asked upon the follow up to the case, he maintained that questions should be directed to the Propam division. 

The National Police Chief’s Regulation No.14/2011 rules issues regarding LGBT within the institution and is contained in the police code of ethics. 

Read: Indonesian Military Won't Tolerate LGBT among Members; Imposes Heavy Sanctions 

FIKRI ARIGI | ANDITA RAHMA | EGI ADYATAMA