Yusril: Presidential Regulation 111/2025 Cannot Justify Persecution of Transgender Individuals
Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra has stressed that Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 111 of 2025 cannot be used as a justification for the persecution of transgender individuals. He stated that Indonesia is a state based on the rule of law, and any alleged violations must be resolved through legal mechanisms by the authorities, not through unilateral actions by the public.
Yusril explained that the regulation, which concerns the General Policy on National Defence for 2025–2029, must be understood in its entirety. He clarified that the regulation aims to strengthen national resilience against non-military threats, including the propagation of LGBTQ ideologies and behaviours, but it does not grant the public the authority to carry out discriminatory acts or violence against individuals.
“The state prohibits vigilante attitudes or actions of any kind. Indonesia is a state of law, so every alleged violation must be resolved through legal mechanisms by the competent authorities,” Yusril said in an official statement in Jakarta on Monday.
He further noted that the state is obliged to guarantee the constitutional rights of every citizen, as stipulated in the 1945 Constitution. While the state prohibits pornography, porno-action, acts contrary to moral norms, and efforts to spread or influence others with such ideologies, individuals still retain their basic rights to clothing, food, shelter, and a decent livelihood.
Yusril acknowledged that the existence of LGBTQ communities is a social reality that cannot be ignored. He asserted that every citizen is entitled to legal protection without exception, and law enforcement against any violations must be carried out in accordance with the prevailing laws and regulations. He urged the public not to misinterpret Presidential Regulation No. 111/2025 or use it as a justification for unlawful actions, and called for respect for the law and the protection of every citizen’s human rights.