ICC Note:

The leader of the Islamic Defender’s Front (FPI) in Indonesia has been accused of blasphemy. The FPI is responsible for organizing the protests that have drawn hundreds of thousands of Muslims to Jakarta to protest the Christian Governor of Jakarta and demand his resignation for a statement of alleged blasphemy. Now the leader of the FPI, Rizieq Shihab, has been accused of blasphemy by the Catholic Students Association (PMKRI) for a speech in which he said, “If God had a son, then who was the midwife?” Nearly all cases of blasphemy end with the accused being found guilty in Indonesia. This case comes at a particularly tense time, with the trial of the Governor taking him out of the lead in his campaign for reelection and tipping the election in favor of his opponent, with whom FPI has strong ties.

12/30/2016 Indonesia (The Herald Malaysia) – Rizieq Shihab, leader of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), has been accused of blasphemy by Catholics under section A of Article 156 of the Constitution. He faces up to five years in prison.

On Christmas Day, Rizieq was videotaped as saying, “If God had a son, then who was the midwife?” The footage of his speech was posted online. When the Indonesian Catholic Students Association (PMKRI) saw it, it decided to take him to court.

PMKRI president Angelius Wake Kako said Rizieq was charged along with two other people who posted the video. The religious feelings of Christians, he added, “have been hurt and humiliated.”

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