Indonesian Woman Jailed for Blasphemy Over TikTok Video

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Facts

  • A 33-year-old Indonesian woman has been sentenced to two years in prison for filming herself saying a Muslim prayer before eating pork.1
  • Lina Lutfiawati, a lifestyle influencer with over 2M TikTok followers, was found guilty of 'inciting hatred' against religious individuals and groups.2
  • In a video she shared on TikTok in March, Lutfiawati can be seen saying the prayer phrase 'bismillah' — which translates to 'in the name of God' — and then consuming a crispy pork skin.3
  • Under Indonesia's blasphemy laws, Lutfiawati was fined $16,245 (250M Indonesian Rupiah). If she fails to pay the fine, her jail term could be extended by three months.4
  • Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-majority nation. Pork is considered 'haram' in Islam, meaning it's not permissible under Islamic law.4
  • Last year, Indonesian police arrested six people from a bar's marketing team on blasphemy charges after they offered free alcohol to male patrons who were named Muhammad and female consumers who were named Maria.5

Sources: 1New York Post, 2BBC News, 3CBS, 4CNN and 5South china morning post.

Narratives

  • Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Al Jazeera. Indonesia is using blasphemy laws to target minority groups and dissenters. This violates the country's international obligations to respect and protect the freedom of opinion, expression, conscience, and religion.
  • Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by CBS. As a Muslim, Lutfiawati knew that eating pork was against Islam. While uttering a significant religious phrase, she knowingly consumed a banned food on camera. She is rightly punished for her sinful actions.