Indonesia expands anti‑LGBT policies in schools and law enforcement

Indonesia's government announced that the Ministry of Religious Affairs will incorporate anti‑LGBTQ+ teaching materials into religious schools and universities, aiming to stop what it calls the “propagation of LGBTQ+ culture.” The initiative follows a presidential regulation adopted in October 2024 that classifies LGBTQ+ culture as a non‑military threat to national defense. Materials will include religious‑based sex education, training for counselors to identify sexual‑gender diversity, and online campaigns directed at youth.

In parallel, regulations enacted in July 2026 criminalise same‑sex relations with penalties of up to five years imprisonment and significant fines. The measures are enforced with expanded digital surveillance: police will employ facial‑recognition software, social‑media analysis and an anonymous online reporting system, while restrictions on VPNs and encryption limit privacy tools. Human‑rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch warn the policies increase discrimination, harassment and false accusations against the LGBT community.