Malaysian court frees 200 men arrested in bathhouse raid
Further evidence of nationwide crackdown on queer people.
While the Malaysian authorities continue their crackdown on men who have sex with men, securing convictions is proving difficult.
In the most recent example, a court has thrown out the charges brought against 201 men arrested in a police raid of a Kuala Lumpur bathhouse in late November.
According to media reports, the bathhouse had been under police surveillance for several weeks. During the raid conducted on 28 November, 201 men were detained. The arrested men were aged between 19 and 60, and included 15 foreign nationals.
Investigators claimed they found condoms and other evidence indicating the men were engaging in same-sex intercourse - illegal under Malaysian law and punishable with a prison sentence.
In what appears to be a deliberate leak by the investigating authorities, the identities of the men arrested was published on social media. This could clearly have significant personal and professional ramifications for the men involved.
However, when the prosecutions came before court, the presiding judge ruled that the police had failed to establish sufficient proof of illegal acts. The judge ordered that all of the arrested men be released.
In a double-jeopardy twist, 103 of the men who had been arrested were Muslim. Although they have been cleared of any wrongdoing by the judicial system, they now face investigation under Sharia law - this could see them punished under the anti-sodomy provisions of Sharia law.
What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Malaysia?
What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Malaysia? Let’s take a look at some of the key equality indicators.
Is homosexuality legal in Malaysia?
No. Malaysia retains the colonial-era criminalisation of sodomy that it inherited from Britain.
Punishments could include prison for up to 20 years.
Are there anti-discrimination protections in place for LGBTQ people in Malaysia?
No. There are no protections against discrimination on the grounds of sexuality.
Is there Marriage Equality in Malaysia?
No. There is no legal recognition of same-sex relationships.
What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Malaysia?
Malaysia is a socially conservative country. Homosexuality is a taboo subject.
Homophobia is systemic, and LGBTQ people conceal their sexuality.
