Human Rights Watch, or HRW, urged Indonesian President Joko Widodo Friday to defend the rights of homosexuals, a day after his government demanded the withdrawal of emoticons alluding to homosexuality from messaging applications.
In a letter to the president, the organization expressed concern at the proliferation of scathing remarks by senior government officials against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender, or LGBT, Community.
It also criticized the discriminatory measures adopted by local and education authorities, including the prohibition of pro-LBGT student groups or an event aimed to promote awareness of HIV prevention.
“President Jokowi should urgently condemn anti-LGBT remarks by officials before such rhetoric opens the door to more abuses,” said Graeme Reid, LGBT rights director at Human Rights Watch, in the letter.
Homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, where 88 percent of the population are Muslims, mostly moderates, and who are fairly tolerant of homosexuality.
In the letter, HRW enumerates several incidents in recent months including the arrest of two women for hugging in public in Aceh, the only region in the country to adhere to Islamic Law, or the suspension of a seminar in Jakarta due to threats from an Islamist group.
The letter was sent after Information and Communication Ministry spokesman Ismail Cawidu urged social messaging sites and platforms to drop stickers expressing support for the LGBT community, after an online campaign against the Line application for the same reason.
Cawidu said Line had already agreed to remove all emoticons related to the LGBT community and that the government will be contacting WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, to do the same, Kompas daily reported.
HRW said in 2014, the U.N. had urged all Indonesian institutions to recognize the existence of the LGBT community as an integral part of its society.
“Human Rights Watch calls on your government to take a leadership position by stating publicly that the rights of all Indonesians need to be respected, including those of LGBT people, and by committing to reforms that protect instead of persecute this marginalized minority,” concluded Reid.