In brief
Ratu Thalisa, a Muslim transgender TikToker, faces nearly three years in jail after being found guilty of blasphemy for a lighthearted comment about Jesus during a livestream.
In a shocking verdict that has raised significant concerns about freedom of expression in Indonesia, Ratu Thalisa, a popular TikTok influencer with over 442,000 followers, was sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison. The ruling, handed down by a court in Medan, Sumatra, came after she made a remark during a livestream where she was humorously responding to a viewer who suggested she should cut her hair to appear more masculine. Her comments aimed at a picture of Jesus were deemed by the court to potentially disrupt "public order" and "religious harmony."The judgment has been met with severe criticism from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, which labeled it a "shocking attack" on her freedom of expression. Usman Hamid, the Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, condemned the application of the country's Electronic Information and Transactions (EIT) Law in this case. He argued that although regulating religious hatred is essential, Thalisa's comments did not meet the threshold for incitement to violence or discrimination.The controversy surrounding the EIT Law highlights its implications for online speech. Enacted in 2008 and revised in 2016, it was intended to offer protections online but has drawn ire for its chilling effects on freedom of expression. Since its implementation, numerous cases have emerged involving individuals charged with defamation and hate speech often relating to religious expressions. Statistics reveal that over 560 individuals faced charges linked to the law between 2019 and 2024, with a significant number convicted.Thalisa's case is particularly striking due to the nature of the charges—an accusation of blasphemy directed towards Christianity from a Muslim standpoint—which stands out amid a broader trend of religiously fueled targeting in Indonesia. The prosecutors originally sought a sentence exceeding four years, but Thalisa has been granted seven days to appeal.With Indonesia's diverse religious landscape, where Muslims represent the majority, cases like Thalisa's underscore ongoing tensions and legal challenges regarding religious expression within the nation.
