The Jakarta Metro Police arrested nine men after raiding a “gay party” in Kuningan, South Jakarta last weekend in the latest intervention of LGBT gatherings performed by authorities in Indonesia.
The party, which was reportedly promoted as a “gathering of men to promote independence” through social media, was held at an apartment building in the area. Participants had to pay a registration fee ranging from IDR150,000 to IDR 300,000 (~US$10 to US$20).
Based on promotional material that has circulated widely since, the event prohibited drugs, weapons, and mandated a dress code that includes wearing red and white, presumably in honor of Indonesia’s recent independence day on Aug. 17.
Police apprehended at least 56 people at the apartment in the early hours of Saturday, nine of whom have been identified as the event organizers.
As homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia with the exception of sharia law-enforcing Aceh, the nine men were charged with facilitating or funding an immoral activity under Indonesia’s vague anti-pornography law, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Authorities said each of the suspects had different roles in the party — some were in charge of picking up guests, some handled security, while others ensured the event ran smoothly. One of the suspects, identified by his initials TRF, headed the organizing committee.
According to Jakarta Metro Police’s spokesman Yusri Yunus, the organizers held sexually-themed games during the party, which TRF had learned about in Thailand.
The nine suspects have since gone through a medical examination, including rapid and PCR tests, for which they tested negative. Police said one of them tested positive for HIV.
“Health protocols remain a priority. We did a rapid test and all of them were tested negative. Among the nine organizers, there’s one who has been infected with HIV but I can’t mention his name here. We will get back to the medical team to check everything,” Yusri said in a press conference yesterday.
Police said the organizers were behind six similar events in the past, which were held in different venues across Jakarta.
“Their average ages are above 20 years old, several of them are above 40 years old. They didn’t look for profit but the pleasure from their community. [What we know about the participants so far] is that all are from Jakarta and some of them are even married [to women],” Yusri added.
Police confiscated items such as used condoms, scrubbing cream, and sexual performance enhancers as evidence, among others. A reconstruction of the raid was scheduled to take place at Jakarta Metro Police HQ this afternoon.
The Indonesian police have conducted a number of raids on LGBT gatherings in recent years, with one of the biggest being a “gay party” at a men’s-only spa in North Jakarta’s Kelapa Gading in 2017, which saw 141 men arrested despite the activities taking place in a private establishment.
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