Stepanus Purba, Medan (iNews.id) – Personnel from the North Sumatra (Sumut) regional police General Crimes Detectives Directorate (ditreskrimum) have uncovered a plus-plus massage parlor especially for homosexuals (gays) in Medan city. During the investigation, police detained 11 suspects in relation to the case.

Kurnia Sari Aziza, Jakarta – A video posted by YouTuber Ferdian Paleka has gone viral on social media after his prank against waria or transwomen was not appreciated by netizens.

Sri Utami/J-3 – The contemptible act which befell Mira has ignited people’s anger with prayers from several communities doing the rounds on social media. They are demanding justice and for the police to immediately solve the case.

Mei Amelia R – A transgender woman named Mira has been burnt alive by a group of people in the Cilincing area of North Jakarta. The Sandya Institute has condemned the violence against Mira and is demanding justice.

Jakarta – People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Deputy Speaker and ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Deputy General Secretary Ahmad Basarah has asserted that Pancasila is not just important as a state ideology but also to ward off liberal campaigns such as those supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people.

Jakarta – A number of protesters opposing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in the Jakarta satellite city of Depok held an audience at the Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) offices at the Depok town hall on Friday January 31.

Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – The Pantau Foundation – a Jakarta-based journalism research and training organisation – has given this year’s Oktovianus Pogau Award to Yael Sinaga and Widiya Hastuti, two student journalists from the North Sumatra University (USU) in Medan.

Lea Citra, Adi Ahdiat, Jakarta – A gender activists from the group Indonesian Queer Feminist Activist, Lini Zurlia, says that the public should be critical of the Draft Law Against Sexually Deviant Propaganda (RUU Anti-Propaganda Penyimpangan Seksual).

Jakarta – Amnesty International is urging the Depok municipal government to immediately revoke a call for raids on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) groups in Depok city.

Badung, Bali – A villa in Bali which provides special services for gays located on Drona Lane in Seminyak, Badung, has created an uproar. There are four villas which allegedly provide special services for gays.

Rusdy Nurdiansyah, Depok – Depok Mayor Muhammad Idris is furious about and deplores the same-sex violence committed by Reynhard Sinaga in Manchester, England. Sinaga has been found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment after committing sexual violence against 159 men.

Cikarang – The Regional Child Protection Agency (KPAD) in Bekasi, West Java, has recorded that number of men with the sexual deviation of liking same sex relationships or homosexuals in Bekasi is as high as 4,000 people. The data is based on the institution’s records up until late 2018.

Jakarta – The deputy chairperson of Prabowo Subianto’s Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), Fadli Zon, insists that his party rejects Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) because it conflicts with social norms.

Muhammad Ridwan – Amnesty International Indonesia Executive Director Usman Hamid has asked for the discriminative requirements in the selection of candidate state civil servants (CPNS) to be scrapped.

Bangun Santoso – The secretary of the Islamic-based United Development Party (PPP) faction in the House of Representatives, Achmad Baidowi or Awiek supports the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) ban on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people applying as candidate state civil servants or CPNS.

Jakarta – Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Tjahjo Kumolo agrees with the position taken by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) in rejecting candidate state civil servants (CPNS) that are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT).

Jakarta – People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Deputy Speaker Arsul Sani has asked the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) not to discriminate by rejecting candidate state civil servants (CPNS) for 2019 who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT).

Jakarta – The head of the Attorney General’s Office’s (AGO) Law and Information Centre, Mukri, has declined to comment at length about the Ombudsman’s findings on the special requirements for the selection of state civil servants (CPNS) for 2019, one of which is that applicants are not allowed to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender (LGBT).

Jakarta – The 2019 selection of candidate state civil servants (CPNS) has created a polemic related to a special requirement which is being applied by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) that applicants not have a deviant sexual orientation.

Resky Novianto, Jakarta – Indonesia is still a country which unfriendly to minorities such as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. An organisation which focuses on the rights of LGBT people, Rainbow Current (Arus Pelangi), has recorded 1,840 cases of persecution against LGBT people between 2006 and 2018.