Malaysia Kelantan Police Arrest Over 20 Men in Gay Party Raid

In mid-June 2025, Malaysian authorities raided a bungalow in Kelantan during a gathering described as a "gay party," arresting 20 men aged between 20 and 30 after receiving a tip-off and conducting surveillance. While police found no evidence that sexual activities had occurred, they seized hundreds of condoms and HIV medication at the venue, and three men were charged with possessing homosexual pornography based on videos found on their phones. The arrested individuals admitted to belonging to the gay community, with some acknowledging offering same-sex services and being HIV positive. Malaysian law criminalizes homosexuality under Islamic sharia law, and authorities expressed ongoing concern about such behavior, pledging to monitor LGBTQ groups more closely. This event highlights growing intolerance and persecution of LGBTQ individuals in Malaysia, where sodomy and same-sex acts are illegal, and previous incidents, such as the interruption of a 2023 concert for an onstage same-sex kiss, have drawn international attention. Human rights organizations have reported that LGBTQ content remains heavily censored and persecuted in the country.