A city in Indonesia has approved an ordinance that carries penalties for “acts that are considered LGBT.”
Pariaman, a city in West Sumatra, approved the regulation last week, which allows the city to fine people $1 million rupiah (about $70) for “immoral acts with the same-sex” and LGBTQ people “who conduct activity that disturbs public order.”
The governor still has to evaluate the regulation, which deputy mayor Mardison Mahyudin told Reuters was intended to “eradicate LGBT.”
“According to our customs, the Minang customs, we are against such acts and behavior,” he said, referring to an ethnic group from that part of Sumatra.
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Human Rights Watch has condemned the regulation.
“It’s a local ordinance that has no grounds on Indonesia’s constitution nor other national laws,” said Andreas Harsono of HRW.
“It’s just another sign that Indonesia is increasingly having two legal systems: the constitutional one and the so-called Islamic sharia system.”
Attacks on LGBTQ people have been increasing in recent years in Indonesia, although mostly in the province of Aceh.
Over 97% of people living in West Sumatra identified themselves as Muslim in the 2010 census.
