Indonesian rights groups have slammed police for placing a transgender woman in a jail cell with a man, saying it underscored widespread discrimination in the world’s biggest Muslim majority nation.
Social media influencer Millen Cyrus, 21, who has one million followers on Instagram, was detained with a male friend on drug-possession charges in the capital Jakarta at the weekend.
Cyrus told local media this week that she hoped she would be moved from the male holding cell.
Authorities have since placed her in a solitary cell. But they defended the initial decision by pointing to the suspect’s government identity card which said Cyrus was male.
“The perpetrator’s status was male as acknowledged in his identity card,” said Jakarta police spokesman Yusri Yunus.
“However, given the situation, (authorities) placed her in a special cell alone.”
The move sparked a backlash on social media and rights groups said it highlighted the challenges faced by gay and transgender Indonesians.
Two years ago, police in the conservative province of Aceh made headlines when they publicly humiliated a dozen transgender women by forcibly cutting their hair as they made the group wear male clothing and speak in a masculine voice.
“We’re demanding that police respect the rights of suspects during investigations with non-discriminatory and non-transphobic perspectives,” said Arus Pelangi at Indonesia’s Transgender Network.
“Police discriminated against her gender identity … by placing (Cyrus) in a men’s detention cell.”
The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) said authorities need to do a better of job of respecting transgender people.
“Authorities should have been able to see the vulnerability of a suspect,” said ICJR researcher Maidina Rahmawati.
“If they were confused about where to place (Cyrus), they should have involved psychologists or social workers who are able to assess (her) needs.”

I am not a fan of transgenders but this is quite unfair... But I guess the police didn't want to put him in a female cell cos of his manly tendecies of the past

What's a transgender

I just came back from 1000 AD

As long as it still has a dik and balls hanging with X and Y chromosomes its a man

He is male. That's what his identity says.


How he dress or conducts himself doesn't matter.

If I will be confused as to where to put him

Sebi na she turn herself to male
And she's been treated lyk a male... so whats the big deal

The many wonders of 2020...

Dem go Bolo him yansh tire

Throw bobrisky inside a female cell. All the ladies there will come out heavily pregnant.

Las Las him anuuss go cry blood.........

Remain bobrisky.....

dawnomike:
I am not a fan of transgenders but this is quite unfair... But I guess the police didn't want to put him in a female cell cos of his manly tendecies of the past

Why do Nigerians judge things with emotions and sentiments?

Confused gender

ohhh sooo out side she can identify as male but in prison shes is a she, noooooooo we will not take it

Since she probably has higher testosterone level in her compared to a 'normal' female, it is safer for the inmates if she's placed in a male prison. Though, it is very unsafe for 'her'. So I believe the warders have to choose between having just one person in danger and having many people in danger. Thy went for the former!

She go hear am. By the time they are done with her, in her next world, she'll remain the way God created her.

They are being unfair to him, knowing putting her in a male cell can lead to him getting raped . Perharps that is their way of humiliating him, May God help her.