A journalist in Indonesia has been given a prestigious award for bravely reporting on human rights issues in her country, including those facing the LGBT community.

Febriana Firdaus won the inaugural Oktovianus Pogau Award from the Pantau Foundation for her pieces on Indonesia’s 1965-1966 anti-communist massacres and disappearances, in addition to her tireless coverage of anti-LGBT discrimination and violence in the country.

#JOURNALISM – Febriana Firdaus wins inaugural Pogau award for courage in journalism – Asia Pacific Report https://t.co/ko0iZALuIJ pic.twitter.com/H0h48ia1ig — Our Journalism (@OurJournalism) February 19, 2017

“LGBT is a very sensitive subject in Indonesia where many religious communities, including Muslim organizations, still consider homosexuality a psychological disorder,” said the Pantau Foundation’s chairman, Imam Shofwan, in a statement.”Febriana Firdaus is courageous to stand up for LGBT, to affirm that LGBT is nature, and to expose their side of the story.”

Firdaus was forced into hiding last year after the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) threatened her for trying to report on a meeting of militant Islamists. The group labeled the journalist a “pro-communist” and “LGBT lover” for holding Indonesia accountable for having its soldiers kill anyone suspected of being a communist during the Cold War.



The Pantau Foundation created the new award to honor their colleague, human rights reporter Oktovianus Pogau, who died last year at the age of 23.

h/t: Gay Star News