TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

North Sumatra court jails TikToker for Jesus remark

Ratu Thalisa was found guilty by the Medan District Court of spreading hatred under a widely-criticised online hate-speech law in a TikTok livestream, Dapot Dariarma of the local prosecutor's office told AFP.

AFP
Medan
Tue, March 11, 2025 Published on Mar. 11, 2025 Published on 2025-03-11T10:55:47+07:00

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
North Sumatra court jails TikToker for Jesus remark Instagram influencer Ratu Thalisa was sentenced to more than two years in prison on March 10, 2025 for blasphemy. (The Jakarta Post/Antara)

A

 court in North Sumatra sentenced a transgender woman to more than two years in prison Monday for a remark online about Jesus' hair, a local official said, in a case condemned by rights groups as excessive. 

Ratu Thalisa was found guilty by the Medan District Court of spreading hatred under a widely-criticised online hate-speech law in a TikTok livestream, Dapot Dariarma of the local prosecutor's office told AFP.

The judge handed the woman -- a Muslim according to court documents -- a sentence of two years and 10 months, he said.

In the livestream in October, Ratu was reportedly shown talking to a picture of Jesus on her smartphone and telling him to cut his long hair. 

Ratu, who sold beauty products online, was reportedly responding to a comment that told her to cut her hair to avoid appearing like a woman.  

Rights groups, who have slammed the electronic information law as too vague and open to misuse against religious minorities, called for the sentence to be quashed.

Morning Brief

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.

Delivered straight to your inbox three times weekly, this curated briefing provides a concise overview of the day's most important issues, covering a wide range of topics from politics to culture and society.

By registering, you agree with The Jakarta Post's

Thank You

for signing up our newsletter!

Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.

View More Newsletter

"This prison sentence is a shocking attack on Ratu Thalisa's freedom of expression," said Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, in a statement.

"While Indonesia should prohibit the advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, Ratu Thalisa's speech act does not reach that threshold."  

Prosecutors immediately appealed Monday's verdict, which was more lenient than their demand for a sentence of more than four years. Ratu has seven days to decide whether to appeal. 

Indonesia has significant numbers of religious minorities -- including Christians, Hindus and Buddhists -- who have been targeted by radical Islamist groups amid concerns about rising intolerance.

But the law has also been increasingly used by religious minorities to report perceived violations.

In 2022, former sports and youth minister Roy Suryo was sentenced to nine months in prison after a court found him guilty of hate speech for retweeting pictures of then-President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's face superimposed on a Buddhist statue.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.