Indonesian police make mass arrests over ‘homosexual party’

JAKARTA: Indonesian police have detained 141 men, including several foreigners, for allegedly taking part in a homosexual party at a sauna, an official said Monday.
On Sunday, officers raided a building in Jakarta and halted what they said was a sex party promoted as “The Wild One.”
Police said four foreigners were among those arrested — one Briton, one Singaporean and two Malaysians.
“Our officers did an undercover investigation and raided the place on Sunday,” senior detective Nasriadi, who goes by one name, told AFP.
Homosexuality is legal everywhere in Indonesia except in Aceh province, but Nasriadi said that 10 of those arrested in the Jakarta raid could be charged under the country’s tough anti-pornography laws.
Since last year, ministers and influential Islamic groups have been lining up to publicly denounce homosexuality.
Those found guilty of breaking the laws face up to 10 years in jail.
The other detained men are still being questioned by police as potential witnesses in the case.
Some of the detainees were Monday paraded in front of the media at a press conference wearing black masks.
Last week, an Islamic court in Aceh sentenced two men to be publicly caned for having gay sex, the first time such a punishment has been handed down for homosexual activities in the province.