ICC Note: Indonesia recently rejected United Nations’ recommendations to repeal its blasphemy law, often used to persecute religious minorities. Recent cases from around the world and Indonesia showed that the blasphemy law is used as a tool to prevent Christians from spreading the Gospel or punish Christians from converting from other religions. Instead of accepting UN’s advice, Indonesia’s Religious Affairs Ministry now wants to expand the law’s scope through a Religious Rights Protection bill.

09/27/2017 Indonesia (UCA News) – Indonesia has rejected recommendations by United Nations member states that it “introduce legislation to repeal the blasphemy law,” which is bad news for beleaguered religious minorities, Human Rights Watch said Sept 25.

During the U.N’s recent periodic review of its rights record, Indonesia also rejected a recommendation it amend or revoke laws that limit the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion in the country.

“These laws, and the blasphemy law in particular, have frequently been used to prosecute and imprison members of religious minorities,” Andreas Harsono, Indonesia researcher at Human Rights watch said.

Recent victims include three former leaders of the Gafatar religious community, prosecuted for blasphemy following a forced eviction of more than 7,000 Gafatar members from their farms on Kalimantan Island last year.

Another was the Christian former Jakarta Governor, Basuki “Ahok” Purnama, sentenced to two years in prison in May.

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