The arrest and detention of Pastor Dedi Saputra in February 2026 have continued to spark prolonged public debate in Indonesia. 

Saputra is an Aceh native who converted to Christianity and resides in Bengkayang, West Kalimantan. The Aceh Regional Police arrested him on allegations of blasphemy and hate speech directed at the people of Aceh via the TikTok account @tersadarkan5758. 

The panel of judges at the Banda Aceh District Court sentenced Saputra to two years in prison for blasphemy and the dissemination of hate speech via social media. The sentence was two years — half of the term originally sought by the public prosecutor, who had requested a four-year prison sentence. 

The verdict was read on Friday, July 10, by a panel of judges presided over by Fauzi, with Zainal Hasan and Said Hamrizal serving as associate judges.  

Dedi attended the hearing accompanied by his legal counsel, while Sutrisna represented the public prosecutor from the Banda Aceh District Attorney’s Office. 

The panel of judges ruled that Saputra was legally and convincingly proven to have disseminated hate speech and committed blasphemy against Islam. These actions were deemed to violate Article 301 paragraph (1) of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code (KUHP), in conjunction with Law Number 1 of 2026 concerning Criminal Penalty Adjustments, as charged in the primary indictment.  

“The defendant disseminated the content via his TikTok social media account in October 2025,” Fauzi said while reading the considerations behind the verdict. “His actions caused unrest among the people of Aceh, a region deeply characterized by its Islamic identity.”  

The judges determined that the content Saputra disseminated contravened the principles of interfaith tolerance. Although Saputra resides in Sungai Betung, Bengkayang Regency, West Kalimantan, the case was tried in Banda Aceh because his content had incited unrest within Aceh.   

However, what makes this case even more alarming is a controversial statement made within the courtroom. One of the public prosecutors uttered a life-threatening remark: “the blood of an apostate is lawful to shed.”  

A major question arises: How could a district court become a venue for issuing death threats against an Indonesian citizen belonging to a religious minority? 

Imprisoning a citizen for sharing knowledge and views that differ from the beliefs or religions of others constitutes a serious violation of rights. 

A crucial fact revealed during the trial was the testimony of a linguistics expert from UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Dr. Makyun Subuki, M. Hum.  

In his testimony, the expert confirmed that the defendant’s statements did not meet the criteria for hostility, hatred, or incitement against Aceh or Islam, as charged under Articles 300 and 301 of the Criminal Code. 

Saputra’s social media statement was a response to comments from netizens who had disparaged him regarding his conversion to Christianity. His statement contained no element of hatred toward the people of Aceh or Islam. 

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