LGBTIQ people continue to be criminalised under both Federal laws (Sections 377A & 377B) and various state syariah laws, with overlapping, arbitrary, and inconsistent application—often in violation of legal precedents and the rule of law. At least 307 people were arrested between January and December 2025.

New and amended state syariah provisions explicitly criminalising gender expression have made trans women especially vulnerable to arrest in both public and private spaces, reversing protections gained through earlier judicial reviews.

Prejudiced public complaints, often amplified through social media, are increasingly used to trigger state actions – censorship, investigations, and even raids – creating a toxic feedback loop where state agencies feel “compelled” to act against LGBTIQ expression and gatherings.

Federal and state governments, alongside religious and political actors, are intensifying anti-LGBT campaigns that weaponise HIV, faith, culture, and public morality, promoting misinformation, stigma, and harmful SOGIE change or “rehabilitation” practices.

There is a marked rise in censorship of publications, television programmes, performances, and artistic expression under morality laws, accompanied by stricter performance guidelines, gendered dress codes, and enforcement mechanisms such as concert “kill switches.”

Heightened enforcement, sensationalist media coverage, and legal reprisals have significantly reduced trust in police, public institutions, and healthcare systems, leading to fear, displacement, reduced participation in health programmes, and barriers to life-saving services like PrEP.