Jakarta – The East Jakarta District Court has declared three leaders of the Fajar Nusantara Movement (Gafatar) guilty of blasphemy and sentenced them to years behind bars.

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-009-2017

Dear Friends,

Margareth S.

Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – A study commissioned by rights group the Setara Institute revealed that during the past decade, the state of freedom of religion or belief being protected in Yogyakar

Fachrul Sidiq – The constantly under fire followers of the Ahmadiyah religious sect are facing yet another round of persecution.

Margareth S.

Andreas Harsono – Acts of religious intolerance and violations of religious freedom increased in Indonesia in 2016, with the country's religious minorities bearing the brunt of the rise.

Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Jakarta – Religious intolerance in the country has risen following President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's ascension to power in 2014 as the government has turned a blind-eye to in

Jakarta – Some Muslim residents are taking part in organizing the first mass service for newly ordained Catholic priest Gregorius Primus Ama Maia CS at St.

Jakarta – Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil said his administration has issued more than 300 permits for non-Muslim houses of worship in the past five years to promote unity in diversity, one of the count

Moses Ompusunggu, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) revealed Tuesday that West Java remained the most intolerant province, blaming some regional heads for neglecting th

Fachrul Sidiq, Jakarta – The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has vowed to intensify communications with regional administrations in an attempt to proliferate rights principles and

Fachrul Sidiq, Jakarta – The National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) has recorded a steady increase of violations of religious freedom in the last three years.

Margareth A.

Jakarta – The government has tipped the establishment of a National Reconciliation Board, to be filled with leading public figures, to promote diversity and multiculturalism, Cabinet Secretary Pram

Fachrul Sidiq, Jakarta – Regional administrations are the most frequent abusers when it comes to violations against religious freedom, a report released by the National Commission on Human Rights (

Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – The Bantul regency administration in Yogyakarta decided on Monday to replace the Catholic district head of Pajangan, Yulius Suharta, after protests from Pajangan dist

Fachrul Sidiq, Jakarta – Amid growing religious intolerance across the country, particularly against minority groups, the National Police have urged religious clerics and all relevant stakeholders

Fachrul Sidiq, Jakarta – Amid increasing acts of intolerance occurring in the country recently, the police have admitted that their role in enforcing the law against intolerant groups needs to be s

Fachrul Sidiq, Jakarta – Indonesia's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) declared that religious tolerance weakened in 2016, marred by discriminatory acts against followers of differen

Jon Afrizal, Jambi – Jambi Police intensified an investigation over a Christmas tree decorated with the word "Allah [God]" in Arabic script allegedly erected by a four-star hotel in Jambi and quest

Jewel Topsfield, Jakarta – Every Christmas the youth wing of Indonesia's largest Islamic organisation provides security outside churches to protect them from attacks by radical groups.

Arya Dipa, Bandung – Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil attended a Christmas celebration at Sasana Budaya Ganesa on Friday night, asking for forgiveness for the past service that was disrupted by conservat

Safrin La Batu, Jakarta – Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, known as a supporter of pluralism, would have been at the forefront of those condemning recent intolerant acts in the country

Jakarta – Indonesian scholars are standing up against religious intolerance, which has gained a stronger foothold in the country recently.

Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has given a clear warning against intolerant mass organizations on his Twitter account, following a series of raids by hardline groups on shops, restaurants

Arya Dipa, Bandung – Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil has announced the formation of the Tolerance Task Force to maintain peace during services of any religion following at least two incidents in the pas

Jakarta – Amid rampant raids targeting shopping malls and business centers across the country banning the use of Christmas paraphernalia, Jakarta Military Commander Lt. Col.

Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Jakarta – In a move that reflects the growing influence of conservative groups in the country, National Police chief Gen.

Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Haeril Halim, Jakarta/Yogyakarta – Following the decision of some local police leaders to back a campaign by firebrand Muslim groups to crack down on Christmas celebration

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Surabaya, East Java – Managers of shopping centers in Surabaya, East Java, have vowed not to require Muslim employees to wear Christmas attire at work this holiday season, fol

Jakarta – National Police chief Gen.

Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – With the number of intolerance and human rights cases in Yogyakarta remaining high this year, NGOs are calling on law enforcers to take stern action against the perpe

Jewel Topsfield, Jakarta – Indonesian police have been accused by mainstream Muslim groups of weakening the rule of law by providing security for Islamic hardliners who visited shopping centres in

Surabaya – The Surabaya Police escorted Islam Defenders Front (FPI) members on Sunday as they raided shopping malls in the East Java capital to check whether outlets had ordered employees to wear C

Callistasia Anggun Wijaya, Jakarta – Under pressure from the Bekasi branch of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), the Honda Mitra outlet on Jl. Raya Jati Asih, Bekasi, issued a statement on Dec.

Bambang Muryanto and Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta and Yogyakarta – More than 300 anthropologists from across the country have asked the government to protect Indonesian values and take stern action again

Jakarta – A group that intercepted nine Muslims at El Tari Airport in Kupang last week has said its actions were not a form of "retaliation" for the recent disruption of a Christmas gathering in Ba

Jakarta – Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said the Indonesian Ulema Council edict that declared wearing other religious paraphernalia was unnecessary was part of religious toleran

Jakarta – National Police Chief Gen.

Arya Dipa, Bandung, West Java – Amid growing religious tensions countrywide, a commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad's birthday, held by the Daarut Tauhid Islamic Boarding School in Bandung, West J

Jakarta – Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil posted on his official Facebook account a series of notices regarding an incident on Tuesday, Dec.

Bambang Muryanto and Arya Dipa, Yogyakarta/Bandung – Dozens of hijab-clad students were sitting in groups in the yard of Sanata Dharma Catholic University in Yogyakarta on Friday afternoon, seeming

Marguerite Afra Sapiie, Jakarta – On the heels of a series of intolerant acts by hard-liners, including the recent mob attack on a Christmas service in Bandung, West Java, Christian groups have sai

Djemi Amnifu, Kupang – Nine Muslims from South Sulawesi who landed at El Tari Penfui Airport in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, on Thursday were intercepted by a group calling themselves the Brigade Me

Safrin La Batu and Ahmad Junaidi, Jakarta – Cases of religious intolerance could increase in Indonesia amid Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama's blasphemy trial and ahead of Christmas c

Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – Universities in Yogyakarta with billboards featuring hijab-clad students do not violate ethical codes of advertising, a communications expert has said.

Jakarta – Chief Security Minister Wiranto has called on Indonesians to respect the right of all religious communities to practice their faith, while stating that no organization may disrupt such ac

Arya Dipa, Bandung, West Java – Bandung Mayor Ridwan Kamil has asserted that religious services in the city do not require permits, though the organizer should send a notification letter to the pol

Jakarta – The government should flex its muscles to protect the rights of all Indonesian citizens to conduct religious ceremonies according to their faith, a legal expert said on Thursday, Dec.