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The statement from the Ventosilla family “raises very serious questions that deserve clear and accurate answers,” said Harvard Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf. “Harvard Kennedy School supports the family’s call for an immediate and thorough investigation and for the public release of all relevant information, and the School stands with all of Rodrigo’s friends and colleagues and with the LGBTQ+ community.”
Ventosilla’s family has asked Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to push for an investigation into the actions of Indonesian authorities. But in a statement issued this week, the ministry appeared to back Indonesian officials’ accounts of the events.
In a press release on August 22, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied that the actions of the Indonesian authorities were discrimination and anti-trans violence. The ministry said the arrest occurred because customs officers found pills with a medical prescription and “objects with traces of cannabis, as well as various products made from this substance.”
“As is common knowledge, Indonesia maintains a zero-tolerance policy on the possession of drugs and their derivatives, any of whose citizens are detained will commit a serious crime under the country’s strict laws,” the ministry said.
It also said that the Peruvian Consulate has been in contact with local authorities to ensure that they work within local laws and respect the rights of Ventosilla and Marallano.
Gianna Camacho, a spokeswoman for the Ventosilla family, told BuzzFeed News that she rejected the ministry’s claims, calling it a “violation against the family” and “bias” against Sebastian and his family’s account.
“We ask for a process that determines the responsibility for the torture, extortion and violation of human rights that Sebastián suffered and that led to the death of Rodrigo,” they said.
Marallano has since returned to Lima, the spokesman said. Ventosilla’s remains are expected to arrive on August 31.
The erosion of LGBTQ rights in Indonesia has shocked activists and human rights organizations. There are no laws against same-sex relationships, and trans people can change their gender on official documents after gender reassignment surgery. But authorities are relying on other laws to harm LGBTQ people in the country. Reports of violence and discrimination against the LGBTQ community in Indonesia are on the rise, and local activists say it could get worse.
Indonesia also has some of the strictest drug laws in the world. Tourists from other countries have been given the death penalty for drug offenses in the past. Marijuana is considered a Category 1 narcotic, and possession can lead to years in prison and hefty fines.
Most prescription drugs are allowed to enter Indonesia, although the authorities advise to carry a doctor’s letter and original prescription. International travelers have also been detained in Indonesia for carrying drugs without a prescription.
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