Mukhlis Dinillah, Bandung – The West Java Ministry of Justice and Human Rights representative office (Kemenkum HAM Jabar) is proposing a special way to handle inmates who have a deviant sexual orientation. Inmates who practice homosexually and lesbianism will be moved to separate cells.
Kemenkum HAM Jabar Socialisation Division Head Abdul Aris admits that the phenomenon of homosexuality and lesbianism is occurring in correctional institutions and prisons. This was discovered by officials who observed this abnormal behaviour.
“If it’s discovered that they’re often paired together, then if there’s that kind of behaviour we’ll take measures, take action”, said Aris by phone on Monday July 8.
Aris said that inmates who show indications of being homosexual or lesbian will be assessed first then if evidence is found they will be separated from other inmates.
“Yes, their cells will be checked right, how long have they been there, how long have they been doing it. So these couples will be separated, the two will be separated”, he said.
Aris admitted that they do not yet have data in the number of inmates that are practicing deviant sex but he confirmed that the number was not significant.
“We don’t yet have complete data. But it’s just a few cases, we haven’t yet researched the percentages. We’re not yet able to say (at which prisons exactly)”, he said.
According to Aris, the same measures will be taken against women inmates. Women inmates who show indications of being lesbian will be moved other cells.
Aris said that one of the factors behind homosexuality and lesbianism is the overcapacity of correctional institutions and prisons in West Java. The close proximity of inmates in cells is causing their sexual orientation to deviate.
“It’s like this, if they’re jostling each other in their sleep and sometimes embrace, perhaps there is self-enjoyment for them, being like that continues, those being embraced and those embracing like it, in the end continues as having sex, same-sex”, he said. (mud/tro)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Napi Gay dan Lesbian di Jabar Dipindah ke Sel Terpisah”.]
