Investigation into Transgender Community Abuse in Aceh, Indonesia

The news of transgender women in Aceh that were forced to cut their hair and act in more manly ways has made headlines across the nations. It has probed investigation from the national police to look into the mistreatment of the LGBT women.

Aceh, a conservative province in Indonesia that is governed by Sharia law is the only state in the country to outlaw homosexuality. A protestor against police investigation into the case says that they had nothing against LGBT people only their “behavior”.

Images of the partially clothed transgender women, kneeling on the ground, whilst their hair was being cut by local police were widely criticized on social media. Local Aceh authorities that are under investigation explain that their actions had been discussed with Islamic scholars and were in line with Aceh’s laws.

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Indonesian Parliament Drawing up New Law to Criminalize Gay Sex

Gay sex is currently legal in Indonesia except for the province of Aceh that is ruled by religious Islamic law. However, that is about to change as new legislation will out rule adultery, condom use and same-sex activity. Indonesia’s health ministry has also announced it will amend its medical guide to consider homosexuality as a “mental disorder”.

Politicians for the upcoming 2019 Presidential elections see the draft as an opportunity to cater to the religious base of the nation. Authorities have used anti-pornography laws to criminalize members of the LGBT community. 

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The UN Human Right Chief has criticized the upcoming laws saying it will only “deepen their suffering and create unnecessary divisions” and that these provisions should be removed immediately. The law if passed will allow police to conduct raids and jail those found guilty of adultery for up to five years.

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