Anger in Indonesia after trans woman Instagram influencer placed in male jail cell

Millen Cyrus was arrested in North Jakarta on drugs charges on Sunday, and initially held in a men’s cell as her ID document states she is male

Activists say transgender women face harassment and abuse if detained, and their treatment shows the insensitivity towards LGBT people in the country

Reading Time:3 minutes

Millen Cyrus, a trans woman Instagram influencer with a million followers, was held in a male detention cell. Photo: Instagram

Published: 9:30am, 26 Nov 2020Updated: 11:09am, 3 Dec 2020

Activists and the trans community in Indonesia have denounced a decision by law enforcement officials to place a transgender woman in a men’s detention facility, saying their lack of sensitivity highlights the general views about LGBT people in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.

The 21-year-old Instagram influencer and model, known as Millen Cyrus, was arrested along with a male friend for alleged drug abuse during a raid on a hotel in Tanjung Priok Port in North Jakarta on Sunday. An investigation is under way.

“[Millen was] placed in a cell according to the sex written on her citizens identity card, and it says male,” Tanjung Priok Port police chief Ahrie Sonta was quoted as saying by local news portal Detik.

Reza Rahandi, the drugs unit chief at the police station, told Detik the detention cell was only occupied by Millen and one male detainee, and they believed she would be safe there as she was “often summoned by us for questioning”.

In an interview with the news portal on Tuesday, Millen said she would like to be moved to another cell. “I hope there is a way for me … not to be put into the men’s cell,” she said.