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View all search resultsJAI sues Bekasi mayor
The amir (leader) of the Indonesian Ahmadiyah Congregation (JAI), Abdul Basit, filed a lawsuit against Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi for the issue of a decree that banned JAI activities in Bekasi on March 8
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T
he amir (leader) of the Indonesian Ahmadiyah Congregation (JAI), Abdul Basit, filed a lawsuit against Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi for the issue of a decree that banned JAI activities in Bekasi on March 8.
The lawsuit was registered with the Bandung State Administration Court (PTUN) on Tuesday, Bandung Legal Aid Institute (LBH) director Arip Yogiawan said on Friday.
'Lawyers from Jakarta LBH filed the lawsuit,' Arip said.
In the lawsuit document, acquired by The Jakarta Post, Basit sues the mayor for issuing a decree dated March 8, 2013, which ceases all JAI activities by sealing the gates of JAI's activity center at Al Misbah Mosque in Jatibening Baru subdistrict, Pondok Gede district in Bekasi.
One of Basit's lawyers, Pratiwi Febry, said the mosque had been established since 1993, had some 400 congregation members and that JAI has used the mosque continuously.
'The Bekasi city administration issued a building permit dated April 28, 1997,' she said.
Pratiwi said that before the gates of the mosque were sealed, there had been two dialogues between JAI and the city administration. The Ahmadis rejected the sealing of the mosque; saying it was against the law.
It was agreed that there would be a follow up meeting at the mayor's office on March 13.
In spite of this, the Bekasi Public Order Agency officers sealed the mosque's entrance gate.
Pratiwi said the Home Affairs Minister, Religious Affairs Minister and the Attorney General's joint decree No. 3/2008 on warnings to JAI executives and members and the public; states that freedom of religion is a human right, which cannot be reduced in any case.
'Every citizen is free to follow any religion and worship according to the religion and belief. The state guarantees this,' she said.
Therefore, she added, the mayoral decree violated the joint ministerial decree because JAI did not propagate any religious teachings at Al Misbah Mosque.
'Such activities did not involve external parties so cannot be regarded as propagating the Ahmadiyah belief.'
Based on those reasons, the plaintiff requested the court to annul the mayor's decree and rehabilitate the good standings of the plaintiff.
