The Surabaya Military Court in East Java has dismissed and imprisoned two Army officers for engaging in a same-sex relationship.

In a Nov. 9 verdict published on the Supreme Court registrar’s website, the court found both defendants – whose names and ranks were not mentioned in the document – guilty of violating Article 103 of the Military Criminal Code on disobeying service orders.

Both defendants were sentenced to seven months in prison.

According to the document, the relationship was discovered in a routine check in July in which a video of the two having sexual intercourse was found on one of their phones.

“The defendants’ sexual deviance is very inappropriate [...]. Their actions are against existing laws and religious regulations,” presiding judge Lt. Col. Arif Sudibya wrote in the court’s verdict.

In September, the Jakarta Military Court discharged and imprisoned three military officers for same-sex intercourse.

In previous cases, the Indonesian Military (TNI) had claimed that same-sex relations were severe violations of military principles and the 2004 TNI Law. Article 62 of the law stipulates that personnel who have committed “indecent acts that can harm the discipline of TNI soldiers” are to be dishonorably discharged.

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