Ervana Trikarinaputri, Jakarta – Indonesia's Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) has called on Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar to issue a public apology following his controversial remarks on sexual violence in Islamic boarding schools, or pesantren.
Nasaruddin had earlier suggested that reports of sexual abuse in pesantren were being exaggerated by the mass media.
ICJR researcher Audrey Kartisha Mokobombang said the statement reflected a lack of understanding of the reality faced by victims and survivors of sexual violence.
"As a public official whose words carry significant weight, the Minister should publicly apologize for his remarks," Audrey said in a written statement received by Tempo on Friday, October 17, 2025.
According to Audrey, many cases of sexual violence remain unreported because victims often feel powerless to speak up. This silence, she said, is reinforced by unequal power relations and the limited empathy shown by policymakers toward victims' experiences.
She emphasized that when victims do come forward, state officials have a duty to support them and ensure they receive adequate protection and access to justice.
Audrey also reminded that, under Law No. 35 of 2014 on Child Protection, Article 9(1a) guarantees every child's right to be free from all forms of violence and sexual abuse, including within educational settings, whether by teachers, staff, or fellow students.
In addition, she noted that the Ministry of Religious Affairs Regulation No. 73 of 2022 on the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence should guide Nasaruddin's actions in ensuring safety across religious-based educational institutions.
"Instead of reinforcing the full and effective implementation of this regulation, the Minister's statement represents a setback in the state's commitment to making educational spaces free from sexual violence," she added.
ICJR emphasized that sexual violence is a serious crime that must be addressed through a victim-centered approach. Audrey said public officials should demonstrate strong support for survivors, strengthen preventive measures, and ensure fair and recovery-oriented handling of cases.
Earlier, Minister Nasaruddin Umar claimed that media coverage of sexual crimes in pesantren had been excessive. He argued that incidents on the ground were not as widespread as portrayed.
"The sexual crimes in pesantren have been exaggerated by the media, even though the cases are only a few," Nasaruddin said at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs in Jakarta on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
He said such coverage had unfairly burdened pesantren and risked damaging their reputation. Without citing specific cases, Nasaruddin also mentioned that pesantren still face issues such as the discovery of unidentified bodies, though he did not elaborate further.
Nasaruddin expressed concern that negative reporting could undermine the legacy of pesantren founders, who contributed to Indonesia's education system even before independence.
"We don't want people to be discouraged from sending their children to pesantren in the future," he said.
– Dian Rahma Fika contributed to the writing of this article.