Malaysian Islamic religious officials broke up a large Halloween party attended by the LGBT community and arrested 20 people for cross-dressing and allegedly encouraging vice, activists said on Sunday.
Activist Numan Afifi, who was arrested at the Kuala Lumpur event on Saturday, described the raid as "traumatizing and heartbreaking". About 40 religious leaders, supported by police, entered the venue with about 1,000 participants and stopped the music and dancing," he told AFP.
Numan said authorities divided the party-goers into two groups: Muslims and followers of other religions. Later, 20 Muslims were taken to the Islamic Religious Office of the Federal Territories, where "the details of our identity were recorded".
"Some have been accused of crimes related to cross-dressing, while others, including myself, have encouraged vice," Numan said. The 20 were released a few hours later but are expected to return for questioning next week. The LGBT community faces ongoing discrimination, with conservative attitudes undermining the Muslim-majority nation's longstanding reputation for moderation and tolerance. percent of the population.
Homosexuality is illegal, and laws criminalizing bestiality can result in imprisonment, corporal punishment, and fines, although enforcement of the law is rare.
Siti Kassim, a human rights lawyer, condemned the crackdown, saying, "Moral vigilance must end." These people are not criminals. Oppression and discrimination against LGBT people must end immediately," he told AFP. Opposition politician Carles Santiago called the raid "harassment of a marginalized community". When will we learn to respect and accept people for who they are? ?he tweeted.
Human rights groups have repeatedly criticized the Malaysian authorities for discriminating against and implementing programs to "cure" LGBT people. “These programs endanger the equality, dignity, and human rights of participants, but they also send a dangerous message to the general public that LGBT people can and should change their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression,” Human Rights Watch said in August.