Tag: Ahok

Indonesia: Ahok’s accuser found guilty of hate speech

November 23, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Java, Muhammadiyah

Jakarta's governor arrives in court for his verdict and sentence in his blasphemy trial. Photo: Getty Images

A key figure behind the jailing of the Christian former Governor of Jakarta for blasphemy has been sentenced to one and a half years in jail for hate speech. However, a West Java court ruled on Tuesday (14 November) that the defendant, Buni Yani, should not be detained immediately. A . . . Read More

Indonesia High Court in ‘milestone’ ruling for religious freedom

November 9, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Religious freedom

Young men joining the protest march against Jakarta's former Governor Ahok in December 2016. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

In a “milestone” ruling, Indonesia’s High Court on Tuesday (7 November) said all religious groups should be treated equally before the law in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, and that failing to do so would be “unconstitutional”. A law adopted in 2013 requires Indonesian citizens to declare their religious . . . Read More

Indonesia: Jakarta’s new governor urged to protect rights of religious minorities

October 27, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Blasphemy, Indonesia, Islamic Defenders Front, Jakarta, Nahdlatul Ulama, Religious freedom, UN

New Governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan and his running mate, the new Vice Governor of Jakarta, Sandiaga Salahudin Uno arrived at Jakarta City Hal for the inauguration ceremony on 16 October 2017. (Photo: Getty Images)

As Jakarta’s new governor, Anies Baswedan, starts his new job, he should use his role “to protect and promote human rights in the Indonesian capital”, writes Human Rights Watch in a letter addressed to him. The rights group urges him to ”use the powers at your disposal to defend the . . . Read More

UN calls for abolition of death penalty for blasphemy and apostasy

October 3, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country Ahok, Amin Afshar Naderi, Apostasy, Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Human rights, Indonesia, Iran, Mariam Ibrahim, Pakistan, UN, USA

During protests against Jakarta's Christian former governor Ahok for alleged blasphemy, some protestors called for the death penalty. Blasphemy is a criminal offence in Indonesia and carries a penalty of up to five years in jail. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)

The UN Human Rights Council last week passed a new resolution, demanding the abolition of the death penalty for apostasy and blasphemy. The resolution called on UN member states that still have the death penalty to, among other things, “ensure that it is not imposed as a sanction for specific . . . Read More

Worldwide blasphemy cases highlighted in USCIRF report

September 26, 2017 Global News -- No Particular Country Ahok, Asia Bibi, Blasphemy, Gad Younan, USA

In its push to see blasphemy laws repealed worldwide, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has released a new report referencing some of the most high-profile cases. ‘Selected blasphemy cases’ highlights the well-known trials of Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama in Indonesia and Asia Bibi in Pakistan, alongside . . . Read More

Indonesia ‘to guarantee rights of religious minorities’

August 4, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Hizb ut-Tahrir, Indonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama, Religious freedom, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

Wreaths displayed to honor those killed in the suicide bomb attack in the Kampung Melayu bus terminal, East Jakarta on May 24 2017. Indonesia's image of a secular nation is under treat as it faces increased influence of extremist Islamist groups. (Photo: Open Doors International)

Indonesia is drafting a law that will guarantee the rights of religious minorities in the country, according to the head of the country’s Ministry of Religion’s Interfaith Harmony Forum. “The government [currently] only recognises six religions, while more than four million people who follow religions outside of those six are . . . Read More

Indonesia: religious minorities ‘fearful’ of growing intolerance, says report

August 1, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Bandung, Indonesia, Jakarta, Java, Yogyakarta

The sentencing of Jakarta's Christian Governor to prison on blasphemy charges, focuses the spotlight again on Indonesia's controversial Blasphemy Law.

A new report into religious freedom in Indonesia finds religious minorities are fearful that their country’s reputation as a “tolerant Muslim-majority nation” is being undermined by radical Islam’s growing influence on politics and society. The report by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) highlights the case of Jakarta’s Christian former governor, Basuki . . . Read More

Protests as Indonesia cracks down on ‘groups that threaten state ideology’

July 17, 2017 Indonesia Aceh, Ahok, Blasphemy, Human rights, Indonesia, Islamic extremism, Joko Widodo

An woman in Indonesia's Banda Aceh gets caning in public from an executor known as 'algojo' for spending time with a man who is not her husband, which is against Sharia law on March 20, 2017. Aceh Province is the only place in the Muslim-majority country which implements the strict version of Sharia Law. In a move to stop the rise of radical Islamist groups, the Indonesian government has adopted a law that will make disbanding such groups easier. (Photo: Getty Images)

In a move that has been severely criticised by civil society organisations, Indonesia on 10 July introduced a new law that allows the government to disband certain groups that threaten the state’s secular ideology. The law comes at a time when Indonesia is facing the increasing influence of hardline Islamist . . . Read More

Indonesian schoolchildren ‘likely’ used notebooks containing IS propaganda

July 11, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Islamic State, JAD, Joko Widodo, Papua, Sumatra

Children are “likely” to have used notebooks with Islamic State (IS) propaganda on their covers and inside, reports Reuters. Hundreds of the notebooks were seized during an investigation into the stabbing to death of a policeman in Medan, North Sumatra province on 25 June. Children’s handwriting was found in some . . . Read More

Indonesia’s social and political fabric stretched as bombs hit Jakarta

May 25, 2017 Indonesia Ahok, Bekasi, Blasphemy, Hizb ut-Tahrir, Indonesia, Indonesian Ulema Council, Jakarta, Java, Santa Clara

Churches in Jakarta are on high alert after Indonesia’s capital was the target yesterday (24 May) for two suicide bombers. The attacks killed three policemen based at a bus terminal ahead of policing for a pre-Ramadan parade. Yohanes Bao Keraf, head of security at St Joseph’s church, which is a . . . Read More

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