Part I Experiences of being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex in the Asia Pacific The High Commissioner for Human Rights has identified many areas in which these fundamental freedoms of lesbian, gay and bisexual people are curtailed in many States, including through: • direct censorship • bans on dissemination of information • restrictions on advocacy • denial or revocation of registration of organisations • denial of permission to hold meetings and events to suppress expression • disruption of meetings and events • raiding offices • vandalising offices and burglary and arson • harassing and arresting staff and volunteers • confiscating materials and equipment, such as computers • denial of permission for gay pride marches and events • violence and harassment at gay pride marches and events • lack of proper and adequate police protection from violence, harassment and other forms of harm to lesbian, gay and bisexual people, especially activists, and their groups and property.151 Lesbian, gay and bisexual people and their organisations in the Asia Pacific region have experienced violation of all these kinds at one time or another in one State or another. Even in States that are more respectful of human rights for lesbian, gay and bisexual people, there have been very disturbing incidents of violations of these fundamental freedoms.152 The High Commissioner for Human Rights has also identified the particular situation of lesbian and women bisexual activists and the risks to them: Women defenders and those advocating for gender- and sexuality-related rights are often at particular risk because they are seen as challenging traditional assumptions about the role and status of women in society.153 Thoughts and stories of being Being LGBTI by Being LGBTI in Asia. 151 High Commissioner for Human Rights, Discrimination and violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, 4 May 2015, A/HRC/29/23, paras 60-62. 152 For example, the disruption of the fourth Asia regional conference of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) by an extremist mob in the Indonesian city of Surabaya in March 2010, resulting in the abandonment of the conference due to the refusal of the police to provide adequate protection for participants. See https://iglhrc.wordpress. com/2010/04/01/threats-to-lgbt-in-surabaya-part-1/. 153 High Commissioner for Human Rights, Discrimination and violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, 4 May 2015, A/HRC/29/23, para. 63, referring to A/HRC/22/47/Add.1, para. 88; Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Study on the situation of women human rights defenders in Africa, 2015; at www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/HRC/29/23&referer=/english/&Lang=E. Chapter 2: Being lesbian, gay and bisexual in the Asia Pacific | 43