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HRWG deplores Indonesian justice system over Gafatar blasphemy case
Human Rights Working Group (HRWG) has deplored the court's verdict that sentenced three leaders of the Fajar Nusantara Movement (Gafatar) to years in prison for blasphemy, saying that the case has once again reflected the flaws in Indonesia's justice system.
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Fajar Nusantara Movement (Gafatar) leaders Mahful Andry Cahya (left to right), Ahmad Musadeq and Muis Tumanurung listen to the preceding judges at the verdict hearing on March 7. (Antara/Rosa Panggabean)
HRWG deplores Indonesian justice system over Gafatar blasphemy case
Marguerite Afra Sapiie
Human Rights Working Group (HRWG) has deplored the court's verdict that sentenced three leaders of the Fajar Nusantara Movement (Gafatar) to years in prison for blasphemy, saying that the case has once again reflected the flaws in Indonesia's justice system.
HRWG executive director Muhammad Hafiz said the ruling was unjust as the panel of judges did not take the testimonies delivered by the suspects' lawyers, witnesses and experts into account before delivering the verdict.
"This trend keeps repeating in many cases that implicate religious freedom and minority rights [...] blasphemy itself is a vague term that does not fulfill legal principles in the criminal justice system," Hafiz said in a statement on Wednesday.
"We urge the Judicial Commission and the Supreme Court's supervisory body to address this issue to end injustice by evaluating and imposing sanctions for the panel of judges who were unfair in the rulings," he added.
Hafiz asserted that bringing the case of the Gafatar leaders through the criminal justice system contradicted the government's earlier decision to issue a joint decree to prevent ex-Gafatar members from spreading the movement's doctrine.
(Read also: Gafatar leaders sentenced to years in prison for blasphemy)
Hafiz said the government should have been consistent with its approach, adding that they should not intervene with people's freedom of thought and belief since the 1945 Constitution protects those freedoms.
The East Jakarta District Court has previously sentenced former Gafatar chief Mahful Muis Tumanurung and spiritual leader Ahmad Musadeq aka Abdussalam to five years in prison and spokesperson Andry Cahya to three years in prison under the controversial blasphemy law. (dan)
