Human rights campaigners have voiced concerns for the women’s safety, after they were arrested in Indonesia and forced to undergo “rehabilitation for lesbianism”. As yet, it’s unclear what the ‘rehabilitation’ will entail.
The couple, aged 18 and 19 and known only by their initials AS and N, were detained in the country’s Sharia-controlled Aceh province after they were seen hugging.
The area is governed by strict Sharia law, which means the women could face caning, prison, or a large fine.
While Shariah police chief Evendi Latief admitted that the pair had confirmed they were lesbians during four days of questioning, he denied their human rights had been violated.
They will undergo rehabilitation which involves psychologists from local Social Ministry office.”
However, Graeme Reid from Human Rights Watch claimed the arrest and subsequent treatment of the girls exhibited an “outrageous abuse of power”.
The arrest of two women in Aceh for everyday behaviour is an outrageous abuse of power that should be considered a threat to all Indonesians. The Indonesian government needs to press Aceh to repeal its discriminatory new bylaws.”
LGBT people are regularly targeted by authorities in the area – just last month, ten trans women were arrested for ‘cross-dressing’, before being forced to leave.
Aceh is the only province in the Muslim-majority country that operates strict Sharia law.
Since last year, gay sex is punishable by punished a 100 months in jail, 100 lashes, or a fine equivalent to 1,000 grams of gold.
Homosexuality is legal in the rest of Indonesia, though the age of consent for gay sex is higher than for straight sex.
Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim population – but outside of the Aceh, most practice a more moderate form of the faith.