Indonesia: A woman in Indonesia has been sentenced to two years for violating the nation’s blasphemy laws through a TikTok video about food that she shared in March 2023.
Ms. Lina Lutfiawati’s video on TikTok gained millions of views as it depicted her saying a Muslim prayer before consuming crispy pork skin. In Islamic law, pork is deemed ‘haram,’ meaning it’s not allowed or permissible.
On September 19, 2023, in the city of Palembang, Indonesia, the court ruled that the 33-year-old woman intentionally “spread information that was intended to incite hate or individual/group enmity based on religion.” She was also fined $16,249.59.
Indonesia has the highest Muslim population globally. The court said that Ms. Lutfiawati identified herself as a Muslim.
After the video, Ms. Lutfiawati publicly apologised and expressed surprise at the court’s decision.
This recent case adds to a series of blasphemy cases across Indonesia, primarily targeting individuals accused of insulting Islam. Analysts argue that these incidents tarnish Indonesia’s image of being a moderate nation.
In August 2023, the leader of an Islamic school faced blasphemy and hate speech charges for permitting mixed-gender prayers and allowing women to take on preaching roles.
Last year, six people were arrested on blasphemy charges after a bar chain promoted free beer for patrons named Mohammed, as per the statement.
In 2019, Indonesia’s Supreme Court affirmed an 18-month prison term for an ethnic Chinese Buddhist woman found guilty of blasphemy for suggesting that a nearby mosque’s loudspeakers were too loud.
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