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A Dozen Women Arrested In Raid On Lesbian Group Home In Indonesia

Police stormed a home shared by six lesbian couples after neighbors reported "immoral activities."

Twelve women accused of being lesbians were arrested Saturday in a raid in the Indonesian city of Bogor.

After neighbors reported seeing "immoral activities" in a home in Cigombong, police, community leaders and local residents stormed the residence. Media reports focused on the fact that six of the twelve, all of whom worked in a local garment factory, had short haircuts and dressed "as men."

"They're all female," Cigombong Public Order Agency Chief Sumantrai told Pojokjabar, "But, some play the part as the men and some as the women in the relationship."

Solo Imaji / Barcroft Media

YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA - FEBRUARY 23: Indonesian moslem activist hold a rally against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) on February 23, 2016 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.The existence of LGBT sparked public debate in Indonesia. In recent weeks, the hashtag #TolakLGBT has been trending on Twitter in Indonesia along with a photo of a sign that says "LGBT is a disease, not a human right." In Bahasa Indonesia, "tolak" means reject.PHOTOGRAPH BY Solo Imaji / Barcroft MediaUK Office, London.T +44 845 370 2233W www.barcroftmedia.comUSA Office, New York City.T +1 212 796 2458W www.barcroftusa.comIndian Office, Delhi.T +91 11 4053 2429W www.barcroftindia.com (Photo credit should read Solo Imaji / Barcroft Media / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

Homosexuality isn't illegal in most of Indonesia, but anti-gay crackdowns have been increasing throughout the predominantly Muslim country.

In May, police arrested more than 140 men in a sauna in Jakarta men in a hotel in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city, forcing them to take HIV tests and then releasing the results to the public. That same month, 14 gay men were arrested in a hotel room for violating the country’s strict anti-pornography law. They were forced to take HIV tests, the results of which were released to the public.

Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA - FEBRUARY 23: Anti-LGBT activists protest on February 23, 2016 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Indonesia ministers and religious leaders have taken additional steps to denounced homosexuality, LGBT websites had been blocked and hardliners launched anti-gay raids over recent weeks. Indonesia saw its former communications minister calling for the public to kill any gay people they find and the leading psychiatric body describe transgenderism as a mental disorder. Homosexuality and gay sex are not illegal in Indonesia but the world's largest Muslim country has been increasing meeting intolerance from the Indonesian public. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images)

Aceh, a northern province, adopted sharia law in 2005, criminalizing same-sex relations with jail time and up to 100 lashes. Hundreds turned out earlier this year when two men were publicly caned after being caught in a compromising position.

Authorities have even banned dating apps like Grindr and LGBT emojis.

According to Brilio, the six lesbian couples arrested on Saturday night have agreed to pack up and leave the city as soon as possible. "We've given them a 'socialization' [order] and they said they will move," said Sumantrai.

The women were previously forced to leave their home in Kutajaya Village in the face of similar discrimination.

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