“Ibu Nuril, we’re with you” was among dozens of messages written on a piece of white cloth displayed at a peaceful protest in Denpasar, Bali, on Sunday.

The protest was held in solidarity with Baiq Nuril Makmun, a victim of alleged sexual harassment who has been sentenced to prison for defaming the person accused of harassing her.

The 37-year-old mother of three from Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, was sentenced to six months in prison and fined Rp 500 million (US$34,218) after the Supreme Court found her guilty of defaming her alleged harasser, the principal of the school where she worked.

The judges found her guilty as they believed she had circulated a recording of a phone call in which the principal reportedly boasted about his sexual escapade with Nuril’s colleague, overturning a lower court’s not guilty verdict. Nuril claimed she had only taped the phone call but not distributed the recording.

As Nuril and her lawyers are preparing a case review to challenge the verdict, prosecutors had demanded the woman be locked up on Wednesday, as revealed by the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) on Friday.

The Attorney General Office’s move triggered a wave of rallies in seven cities across the country, including Denpasar and South Sumatra’s Palembang, on Sunday in support of Nuril.

Activists said they were preparing protests in two more locations on Thursday, namely in front of the Central Java governor’s office in Semarang as well as in front of the State Palace in Jakarta.

In Denpasar, dozens of people gathered in Renon square to take part in a one-hour yoga session. A lawyer with Bali Legal Aid Institute (LBH Bali) Ni Putu Candra Dewi said they “are sending positive energy through yoga for Nuril on the neighboring island of Lombok”.

Apart from the yoga session, activists also put up a white cloth on which residents could write their messages of support and solidarity for Nuril. There was also a discussion about cases of sexual harassment that had occurred across the resort island.

During the discussion, Denpasar Integrated Care Center for the Empowerment of Women and Children (P2TP2A) head Luh Putu Anggreni said the case could become a bad precedent that would undermine sexual harassment victims. “It can be harder to seek justice for victims.”

In Palembang, dozens of activists and influencers gathered in Kambang Iwak Park — a popular place among local residents to gather on Sunday morning — to stage a peaceful protest as an act of solidarity for Nuril.

Some of them were carrying posters bearing the words “Aksi #TolakEksekusiBuNuril” (Reject Bu Nuril’s Imprisonment), while others handed out information on the case including the chronology of events.

The protest attracted the attention of visitors to the park, with some of them approaching the activists to ask about the case.

Kiara Ertina, 39, who was exercising in the park with her two children, was among them. Responding to the case, she said it intrigued her as a woman and made her sympathize with Nuril.

“The [Supreme Court’s] verdict against Ibu Nuril is not fair. It is ironic that she was punished for venting her experience of being harassed,” Kiara said.

The wave of support for Nuril continued, with the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), joining in.

On Monday, a coalition of civil society groups will deliver a petition to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, demanding the latter give amnesty to Nuril. The petition, which was initiated through change.org on Sunday, was signed by more than 30,000 people in less than 24 hours.

Meanwhile, campaigner Anindya Joediono started an online fundraising drive on kitabisa.com to help Nuril pay her fine. As of Sunday evening, donations totaled more than Rp 296 million, or more than half of Nuril’s fine.

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