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Bogor blasphemy trial: 'Mentally ill' defendant did not know about dog ban in mosque
A woman has been accused of violating the Blasphemy Law, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
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A woman carrying a dog entered Al Munawaroh Mosque in Babakan Madang district in Sentul City, Bogor, West Java, on June 30. (tribunnewsbogor.com/Lingga Arvian Nugroho)
S
uzethe Margaret, a woman who has been charged with blasphemy for entering a mosque wearing shoes and carrying her dog, said she did not know that she had to take off her shoes before entering the mosque. She also stated that she did not know that dogs, which are regarded as impure by Muslims, were not allowed inside mosques.
The incident took place in June at Al Munawaroh Mosque in Sentul, West Java. A video of it went viral on social media. Not long after, Suzethe, whose psychiatrist diagnosed her with schizophrenia, was reported to the police.
Suzethe is accused of violating the Blasphemy Law and Article 156a of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
In a hearing that took place at the Cibinong District Court on Tuesday, a prosecutor, Anita, asked Suzethe whether or not she understood why she was standing trial. Suzethe answered saying that she understood, adding she went to the mosque because she heard voices in her head.
"At first I did not know [why I was on trial]. But now I understand. I stood on trial for a blasphemy accusation. I went to the mosque with my dog Golda on June 30, 2019, at 12 p.m. At that time I wanted to see my husbands' wedding [in the mosque] because I heard voices in my head telling me to stop the wedding from happening," Suzethe said.
She said she drove her car at a high speed to the mosque, which was 10 minutes from her house, in order to stop the alleged marriage from happening. After parking her car, Suzethe took her dog to the mosque.
"People were telling me to leave but I said, 'I'll only leave if I get a passport,’" she said.
