Media Quote
2 December 2025
Responding to news of over 200 individuals arrested in two police raids targeting people perceived to be members of the LGBTI community, Amnesty International Malaysia’s Research & Advocacy Officer, Nicole Fong, said:
“Amnesty International Malaysia condemns the raid by Malaysian authorities of a health centre in Kuala Lumpur on 28 November, with over 200 individuals arrested and detained for more than 40 hours. A day later, another venue was also raided by police in Perai, Penang, similarly resulting in the arrest of 13 individuals. ”
“These raids and the resulting arrests are patently discriminatory, as they targeted people perceived to be members of the LGBTI community. Those arrested in Kuala Lumpur were detained for more than 40 hours and were not allowed to be released without a bailor, despite their remand applications being dismissed by the magistrate a day after the arrests. The individuals also reported limited access to food and water. The police operations also resulted in other human rights breaches, such as violations of the individuals’ dignity, right to privacy, lack of access to lawyers and prolonged detention,” said Nicole Fong.
“While we welcome the release of the arrested individuals in Kuala Lumpur and suggestions that there will be no further action against this group, we call on Malaysian police and the religious department (JAWI) to drop all investigations against all those arrested in the two raids, and immediately release those still detained,” said Nicole Fong.
“The Madani government must urgently abandon punitive laws that criminalize consensual same-sex sexual conduct and laws criminalizing specific gender identities and expressions, and work towards ensuring a safe, enabling and welcoming environment for all, especially groups that have been repeatedly marginalized,” said Nicole Fong
Background
On 28 November, officers of the Kuala Lumpur police, Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) arrested 201 individuals during a raid at a health and wellness centre along Jalan Raja Laut. 200 people have been released after a magistrate rejected the police’s late remand application, and the case against them is not expected to proceed in the absence of evidence needed to investigate and charge them under Sections 372 and 377 of the Penal Code. One remained in detention for a different charge. The religious affairs department, however, said it would investigate the case under sharia provisions.
On 29 November, a similar raid was carried out at a commercial site in Perai, Penang, resulting in the arrest of 13 individuals, all of whom were remanded for six days. The eleven individuals are being investigated under Sections 377B and Section 292 of the Penal Code, while the owner and worker are being investigated under Section 373 or 377B.
In both raids, police alleged violations of Section 377B of the Penal Code, a British colonial-era law criminalizing “carnal intercourse against the order of nature”.
For more information, please contact Amnesty International Malaysia’s Research & Advocacy Officer, Nicole Fong at [email protected].