Indonesian soldiers booted from army, jailed for gay sex

A military court ruled that the two soldiers had committed ‘deviant sexual behaviour’ that was ‘very much against the law or any religious provisions’

While gay sex is barred in the military, it is legal for civilians in most of the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation, except Aceh province

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Indonesian soldiers take part in a security drill last month ahead of the G20 Summit in Bali. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:03pm, 30 Nov 2022Updated: 2:05pm, 30 Nov 2022

Two Indonesian soldiers have been given a seven-month jail term for having gay sex, which is banned by the nation’s military as “inappropriate behaviour”.

The soldiers, who joined the army last year and were based on the country’s main island of Java, were also booted from the army, according to a military court ruling dated November 9.

While gay sex is barred in the military, it is legal for civilians in the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation, except in conservative province Aceh.

But there is widespread discrimination and some gay Indonesians have been arrested for lewd conduct under anti-pornography laws.

“The defendants’ acts of committing deviant sexual behaviour with the same sex was very inappropriate because as soldiers, the defendants should be an example for the people in the defendants’ surrounding environment,” the 60-page ruling read.

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