In October 2025 the Indonesian president signed Presidential Regulation No. 111 of 2025 which frames the dissemination of LGBTQ culture as a non-military threat to the state. The policy groups queer visibility with terrorism, separatism and radicalism, positioning it alongside ideologies deemed dangerous to national cohesion. While the regulation does not criminalise consensual same-sex relations at the national level, it creates a legal basis for surveillance, censorship and potential prosecution of individuals or groups perceived to promote LGBTQ ideas.
Human-rights groups condemn the security-framed discrimination
Amnesty International Indonesia reacted swiftly, labeling the decree as institutionalised discrimination. Executive Director Usman Hamid warned that equating LGBTQ culture with security threats violates international covenants and exposes queer Indonesians to harassment by both state actors and private vigilantes. The organisation highlighted recent incidents at the University of Indonesia, where a student-executive board shared the American Psychological Association’s 2008 statement that homosexuality is not a mental disorder. The post was removed after condemnation from the Indonesian Ulema Council and several parliamentarians, illustrating the chilling effect on academic freedom.
Student journalists and activists face intimidation
Following the removal of the psychology faculty post, student journalists from the university’s outlet Suara Mahasiswa reported threats, doxxing and stalking after publishing Pride-Month coverage in June 2026. Similar patterns of intimidation have been documented nationwide. In Surabaya, police detained 34 men in October 2025 for an alleged “gay sex party” at a hotel; in South Jakarta, 56 people were arrested during a raid on a private residence in February 2025. These operations often rely on loosely defined morality or pornography statutes, enabling authorities to target lgbtq gatherings under the guise of public order.
Regional enforcement and societal backlash
Beyond the national decree, more than 45 regional ordinances already restrict LGBTQ expression, and the new defence policy is expected to fuel further local measures. The Ministry of Religious Affairs announced curriculum materials aimed at preventing the “spread of LGBTQ culture” beginning in the 2026/27 academic year, while the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs launched investigations into several online groups believed to facilitate queer networking. ILGA Asia’s executive director Henry Koh called the policy a dangerous line that legitimises surveillance, profiling and vigilante violence, noting a rapid deterioration in the human-rights environment for LGBTQ Indonesians.
International commitments add another layer of tension. Indonesia ratified Article 26 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights through Law No. 12 of 2005, obliging the state to protect citizens from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Critics argue that the defence decree directly contravenes these obligations, creating legal inconsistency that could be challenged in domestic or international tribunals. Meanwhile, religious leaders such as Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar have publicly urged citizens to avoid vigilante actions, yet the official stance that the “state retains authority to restrict certain rights in defense of public morality” continues to embolden hostile actors.
In sum, the classification of LGBTQ culture as a non-military threat has transformed abstract prejudice into a policy instrument, prompting a cascade of arrests, academic censorship, and digital surveillance. Rights organisations, university students and several lawmakers call for the immediate repeal of the regulation, arguing that it undermines constitutional guarantees and Indonesia’s international human-rights commitments. The coming months will likely see intensified legal battles and further advocacy as the nation grapples with the clash between security rhetoric and the right to self-identification.
