The social network Instagram suspended an account that published comics dealing with the problems and acceptance of the LGBT community in Indonesia after the Ministry of Communication and Information demanded its closure for displaying pornographic content.
The ministry alleged that the Alpantuni account violates the law of Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE) in relation to the distribution of content that "violates decency," and welcomed complaints from other users that "speeded up the process," according to a statement.
The comic strips, which present homosexual Muslim characters and have a critical tone against homophobia and religious fundamentalism, were targeted by several users of the social network who in their criticisms labeled the ministry.
Instagram made the decision after Communication Minister, Rudiantara, who uses a single name like many Indonesians, threatened Monday to close the platform if the company didn't take action.
The ITE law and the law against pornography have been used in Indonesia to criminalize homosexuality and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender), according to Human Rights Watch.
The Ministry of Communication has threatened in recent years with the closure of other social networks and messaging platforms and has blocked hundreds of websites and applications with homosexual content to safeguard morale on the Internet.
The Asian country has seen an increase in homophobic rhetoric in politics and society in recent years with greater influence from Islamist groups.