Indonesia LGBTQ Violence Increases After Presidential Regulation 111 of 2025

Presidential Regulation 111/2025 and National Defense

Signed by President Prabowo Subianto on Oct. 24, 2025, Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 111/2025 outlines the national defense policy for 2025-2029. According to The Jakarta Post, the regulation categorizes the spread of LGBTQ culture as a nonmilitary threat. This is defined as unarmed activities that could potentially jeopardize public safety, territorial integrity, or state sovereignty.

Under this framework, regional administrations, government agencies, and ministries outside the defense sector are required to coordinate joint responses to mitigate this threat. Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra stated that the non-military threat designation is used to categorize risks against national resilience, specifically regarding social cohesion, families, and the character of the younger generation. According to VOI.ID, the regulation targets the propagation of LGBTQ behaviors and values, including same-sex marriage and sexual relations, as lifestyles in the community.

Vigilante Violence in Bogor and Beyond

Civil society groups claim the regulation has been used to justify harassment and violence. In Bogor, West Java, at least 10 trans women were subjected to three separate mob attacks over a two-month period, according to Amnesty International Indonesia. These attacks were carried out under the banner of the Bogor Bersih LGBTQ (Bogor free of LGBTQ) movement. Footage circulating online showed a group of men kicking and punching a trans woman and spraying her with what appeared to be urine, as reported by The Jakarta Post.

Similar activities, including convoys with anti-LGBT banners, have also been reported in Serang, Banten, and Palembang, South Sumatra. In response, Minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra emphasized that the regulation must not be interpreted as legitimizing public persecution or “self-judgment” against citizens, stating that the state does not allow vigilante actions in any form.

Legal and Constitutional Challenges

The classification of personal identity as a security issue has drawn criticism from legal scholars and human rights advocates. Critics argue the regulation challenges the 1945 Constitution, specifically:

• Article 28I, Paragraph 4: Which places the responsibility for fulfilling and protecting human rights on the government.
• Article 28E, Paragraph 2: Which guarantees citizens the right to freedom of belief, conscience, and the expression of opinions.

Human rights lawyer Asfinawati noted that while the 2008 Pornography Law referred to sexual conduct, Perpres 111/2025 goes further by placing the mere existence of a particular gender identity or sexual orientation within a threat framework. Additionally, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) is currently pushing the House of Representatives to include a bill in the National Legislation Program (Prolegnas) that would introduce criminal sanctions for LGBTQ-related activities.

Context of Social and Political Tension

The regulation gained widespread public scrutiny recently, following a mid-June Pride Month-themed social media post by Suara Mahasiswa, a University of Indonesia student publication, which sparked heated online debate regarding religious and social norms. Channelnewsasia reports that while the state remains obliged to protect citizens’ rights to healthcare and employment, some officials suggest the society is not yet ready to formally recognize the LGBTQ community as an official group.

This environment follows a history of high visibility and vulnerability for transgender women. According to UNSW, LBH Masyarakat data from 2017 showed that trans women accounted for 715 of 973 individuals who were victims of violence and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.