In brief
The ruling has sparked outrage among human rights organizations, who label it a violation of freedom of expression.
An Indonesian TikTok sensation, Ratu Thalisa, has been handed a nearly three-year prison sentence for a controversial comment made during a livestream. The 26-year-old, who has garnered a following of over 442,000 on the platform, reportedly spoke to a picture of Jesus on her phone, instructing him to cut his hair to appear more masculine. This incident has led to serious legal repercussions, as a court in Medan, Sumatra, found her guilty of spreading hatred under Indonesia's contentious online hate-speech law, sentencing her to two years and ten months in jail.The ruling has drawn heavy criticism from human rights advocates, including Amnesty International, which condemned the decision as a severe infringement on Thalisa's freedom of expression. They argue that her actions, provoked by a viewer’s comment about her appearance, do not warrant such a harsh legal response. Usman Hamid, Amnesty International Indonesia's Executive Director, asserted that while laws against religious hate speech are necessary, Thalisa's comments did not meet the criteria for incitement or violence.The legal process against Thalisa was initiated after Christian groups lodged complaints against her for blasphemy. The court maintained that her remarks could upset public order and disturb religious harmony. This legal precedent has raised concerns about the broader implications for free speech in Indonesia, where the Electronic Information and Transactions (EIT) Law has already been criticized for endangering freedom of expression.Human rights organizations have noted that the EIT Law, first enacted in 2008 and modified in 2016, has become a tool for stifling dissent and punishing individuals for their opinions expressed online. Data from Amnesty International indicates that between 2019 and 2024, over 560 people faced charges related to the law, with 421 being convicted.Thalisa’s situation has drawn attention to the delicate balance of religious sentiments and freedom of speech in Indonesia, a country with a majority Muslim population yet home to numerous religious minorities. The sentences handed down to social media influencers for blasphemy have raised alarm, with some cases involving individuals from minority faiths criticizing Islam. In a notable incident earlier this year, a Muslim woman received a two-year jail term for a TikTok video considered blasphemous.Amidst the backlash, prosecutors have appealed the verdict, seeking an even stiffer penalty for Thalisa. With a seven-day timeframe to file an appeal, the case continues to highlight significant issues surrounding freedom of expression in Indonesia's diverse but complex religious landscape.
