East Java Police Arrest Admin Facebook Group Gay Tuban-Lamongan-Bojonegoro

The Directorate of Cyber Investigation (Ditressiber) of the East Java Police arrested four men who are members of a group of same-sex enthusiasts and are suspected of spreading immoral content online.

The four are MI (21) a resident of Jalan Gubeng Surabaya; Z (24) from Jalan Tambaksari Surabaya; FS (44) from Dukuh Pakis Surabaya and S (66) from Jombang.

"This disclosure began with the discovery of a Facebook group called Gay-Tuban-Lamongan-Bojonegoro managed by the suspect MI," said Head of Public Relations of the East Java Police Kombes Jules Abraham Abast in Surabaya, Friday, June 13, as reported by ANTARA.

Through the group, MI spread a link to a WhatsApp group called INFO VID which is a forum for the gathering of members of the same-sex like community.

In the group, the suspects allegedly shared pornographic content with the aim of finding a same-sex partner or date.

"MI acts as an admin who captures new members, while the other three suspects are actively sharing immoral content in the group," he said.

The police ensured that the activity was not commercial.

"From the suspect's confession, they are not looking for profit, but as a means of having fun and looking for a partner," he said.

For their actions, the four suspects were charged with Article 45 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 27 paragraph (1) of Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions as amended by Law Number 1 of 2024.

They are also subject to Article 29 in conjunction with Article 4 paragraph (1) of Law Number 44 of 2008 concerning Pornography and/or Article 82 in conjunction with Article 76E of Law Number 17 of 2016 concerning Child Protection.

"The penalty is a minimum of six years in prison and a maximum of 12 years, as well as a fine ranging from Rp250 million to Rp1 billion," said Kombes Pol Jules.