According to a report from The Jakarta Post, Indonesia’s government is planning to reject all 75 recommendations made by the United Nations to improve human rights in the country. The UN initially made the recommendations in May during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
During this process, Ireland and Sweden specifically called for an end to Indonesia’s anti-LGBTI discrimination. Meanwhile, Angola and Spain recommended the abolition of the death penalty. Finally, the United States and Germany asked for the end of the country’s blasphemy law. This law punishes deviations from the six officially recognized religions with up to five years in prison.
At the original meeting in May, Sweden stated: ‘Although same-sex sexual relations are not criminalized in Indonesia, there are no national laws specifically protecting LGBTI persons against discrimination.’
During the next UN Human Rights Council meeting in September, Indonesia must formally accept or note (i.e. reject) the recommendations.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official reportedly claimed the recommendations are ‘hard to accept’ due to ‘Indonesian conditions,’ as quoted in the The Jakarta Post.
The Indonesian government faces frequent criticism for its anti-LGBTI laws and human rights violations. Earlier this year, two men were publicly caned 85 times after being convicted of homosexual acts.
Several other events in the country caused concern and alarm in the LGBTI community. In May, 141 men were arrested at a gay sauna. That same month, the police of West Java, Indonesia created a taskforce to monitor the LGBTI community.
The following month in June, Human Rights Watch wrote to the Indonesian police to stop the targeting of LGBTI people.
