Surabaya, Indonesia – October 23, 2025 – In a stark display of public enforcement, Indonesian police in Surabaya paraded dozens of barefoot men bound with zip ties through the streets on Tuesday, following their arrest during a late-night raid on an alleged gay sex party at a local hotel. The incident, which unfolded early on October 19, has reignited debates over privacy rights, LGBTQ+ discrimination, and the enforcement of Indonesia's contentious anti-pornography laws in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.
Authorities detained 34 individuals from the Hotel Neo Mondial in Surabaya, East Java's bustling capital and Indonesia's second-largest city. The parade, captured in widely circulated images and videos, showed the men—some appearing visibly distressed—marched in single file under heavy police guard, their hands secured behind their backs. Local media outlets, including CNN Indonesia and the Daily Mail, reported the scene as a humiliating spectacle designed to deter similar gatherings. This public shaming echoes tactics used in previous raids, where detainees are often displayed to media as a warning to the community.
The raid was triggered around 1 a.m. local time on Sunday, October 19, after residents in a nearby apartment complex lodged complaints about "unusual activity" on one of the hotel's upper floors. Surabaya police, acting on these tips, mobilized a team from the Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim). Upon entering the premises, officers discovered a group of men in two adjoining rooms rented for what was described as a private event. Evidence seized included contraceptives, mobile phones, laptops, and other electronic devices, which investigators believe contained incriminating material such as photos or videos.
In a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon, AKBP Edy Herwiyanto, Head of the Surabaya Police Criminal Investigation Unit, formally named all 34 detainees as suspects. "Some were direct participants in the activities, while others played supporting roles—financiers who covered costs, administrators who organized logistics, and assistants who facilitated entry," Herwiyanto stated, according to local reports. He emphasized that the operation was intelligence-driven, with undercover officers confirming the nature of the gathering before the bust. However, police have yet to disclose specific charges, leaving speculation rife about potential violations of Indonesia's 2008 Anti-Pornography Law, which broadly prohibits the "production, distribution, or possession" of erotic content and can carry penalties of up to 12 years in prison for individuals or 15 years for those deemed organizers.
Hotel management, caught in the crossfire, issued a swift statement distancing itself from the events. A representative, speaking anonymously to CNN Indonesia, revealed that the rooms were booked by a single individual under a standard reservation for a weekend stay. "We had no knowledge of any illicit activities; each room is a private space, and guests have full rights to their privacy," the spokesperson said. The hotel, which prides itself on catering to business travelers and tourists in Surabaya's vibrant commercial district, was operating at near-full capacity that night due to weekend demand. "It was a busy evening, with families and corporate groups elsewhere in the building," the representative added.
The fallout has been swift and damaging. "The impact is quite disappointing—there's been unpleasant feedback online, with some calling for boycotts," the spokesperson admitted. Reservations have reportedly dipped by 20% in the days since, according to unconfirmed industry sources. Yet, in an effort to salvage its reputation, the hotel reaffirmed its commitment to guest security: "We maintain strict protocols for privacy, comfort, and safety. Incidents like this are rare, and we're cooperating fully with authorities." This echoes broader concerns in Indonesia's hospitality sector, where venues have increasingly become targets in moral crackdowns, fearing reputational hits from association with vice.
This arrest is not an isolated event but part of a troubling escalation in 2025. Earlier this year, Indonesian police conducted at least three major raids on alleged LGBTQ+ gatherings, each drawing international condemnation for discriminatory practices. In February, 56 men were detained in a Jakarta hotel during what authorities labeled a "gay sex party," with organizers facing pornography charges and up to 15 years behind bars. May saw nine arrests in South Jakarta at a venue disguised as a birthday celebration, where police uncovered condoms and lubricants amid the festivities. Most recently, in June, a raid on a rented villa in Bogor netted 75 individuals—74 men and one woman—for a so-called "gay party," complete with seized sex toys and even a ceremonial sword mistaken for a party prop. Amnesty International decried the Bogor operation as a "blatant violation of human rights," urging immediate release of the detainees and an end to such "fishing expeditions" based on neighbor complaints.
Indonesia's legal landscape adds layers of complexity. While homosexuality is not explicitly criminalized nationwide—except in the ultra-conservative province of Aceh, where Sharia law mandates public caning—enforcement often hinges on the vaguely worded pornography statute. Adopted in 2008, it has been weaponized against LGBTQ+ individuals since 2016, when a surge in conservative rhetoric from Islamist groups prompted a wave of raids. In 2017 alone, over 140 men were arrested at a Jakarta sauna in the largest such operation to date, with many subjected to forced HIV testing and public humiliation. That year, Surabaya itself saw 14 men detained in a similar hotel raid, their HIV results broadcast without consent, exacerbating stigma around sexual health.
Compounding these issues is a new penal code passed in 2022, slated for full implementation by December 2025, which outlaws extramarital sex and cohabitation—effectively criminalizing same-sex relationships since marriage equality remains unrecognized. Human Rights Watch has warned that this could "drive the LGBTQ+ community further underground," stifling access to HIV prevention services at a time when the epidemic claims thousands annually, predominantly through heterosexual transmission but with rising risks among men who have sex with men due to fear of exposure.
LGBTQ+ advocates in Indonesia, operating under constant threat, have condemned the Surabaya raid as emblematic of state-sponsored homophobia. "These actions violate the right to privacy under Article 28G of our constitution and international human rights standards," said Dede Oetomo, a prominent activist and founder of GAYa NUSANTARA, in a statement to local press. Groups like Arus Pelangi have called for an independent probe into police conduct, citing the parade as "degrading and unconstitutional." Online, hashtags like #StopRaidLGBTQ and #HormatiPrivasi have trended, amassing over 50,000 posts in 24 hours, blending support from urban youth with vitriolic backlash from hardline clerics.
On the ground in Surabaya, a city of 3 million known for its colonial architecture and spicy cuisine, the arrests have polarized residents. Some neighbors who tipped off police expressed relief, viewing the event as a moral affront in a community where conservative values hold sway. "We heard loud music and strange noises—it's not right in a family area," one anonymous resident told Kompas TV. Others, including hotel staff, worry about economic ripple effects; tourism, a key driver in East Java, could suffer if such incidents deter visitors.
As investigations continue at Surabaya Police Headquarters, the 34 suspects remain in custody pending formal charges. Legal experts anticipate pornography law applications, but outcomes could hinge on forensic analysis of seized devices. In the interim, this raid serves as a grim reminder of Indonesia's fraught path toward inclusivity. With the new penal code looming, activists fear a darker chapter ahead, one where private lives are policed with increasing zeal. For now, the paraded men—ordinary citizens caught in a web of societal scorn—await justice in a system that often equates difference with deviance.
