Indonesian Men – Nurse and COVID Patient – Arrested for Having Sex in Hospital Restroom

Two Indonesian men, one a nurse, the other a COVID patient, had sex in a bathroom at a Jakarta hospital on December 25, which led to the arrest of both, the Indonesia Expat reports.

"A screenshot of a WhatsApp conversation with a nurse at Wisma Atlet Emergency Hospital revealed that both patient and nurse made an appointment to have sexual interaction in the hospital's toilet. The patient uploaded a photo of the personal protective equipment which the nurse removed from his body and laid on the floor."

The hospital – an emergency facility for coronavirus patients – is a military facility. Its management identified and arrested the men, but the charges remain unclear. The patient, still positive for COVID-19, was returned to the hospital.

"A representative for the Indonesian National Nurses Association said: 'It is true that there has been a suspected incident of a same-sex relationship between a health worker and a COVID-19 patient at the Wisma Atlet Emergency Hospital,'" reports PinkNews, adding that the Nurses Association's position on the arrested nurse is that he "must follow legal processing."

In most Western countries, such a break in protocol would lead to some minor punishment and much internet shaming, but, as PinkNews notes, Indonesi lags far behind other countries in LGBTQ rights. "While same-sex sexual relations are legal in most parts of the country, queer people often face persecution, violence and stigma for living as their authentic selves, and there are no discrimination protections for LGBT+ people."

In Jakarta, where the event took place, gay sex is not illegal; but in some regions it is punishable by flogging. "In November, a gay couple in Aceh were forcibly dragged out of their homes and brought to a police station because of their 'illegal sexual orientation'," adds PinkNews.