BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA - Two Indonesians are to go on trial in an Islamic court for having gay sex and could receive 100 strokes of the cane if found guilty, officials in the conservative province of Aceh said, sparking calls from a rights group for their release. Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Indonesia to release the men who were detained last month after vigilantes reported them to religious police for allegedly engaging in gay sex. In 2014, Aceh enacted a law that punishes anybody caught engaging in consensual gay sex with 100 lashes, 100 months in jail or a fine of 1,000 grammes of gold. It also sets out punishment for sex crimes, unmarried people engaging in displays of affection, adulterous relationships and underage sex. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has faced growing pressure since high-ranking government officials last year expressed reservations about activism by its members.

Source: Bangkok Post April 10, 2017 09:33 UTC