Indonesia
Women point to biases in Koranic exegesis
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and the National Commission on Violence Against Women and Children are hopeful their newly launched book will change the views of the Indonesian Muslim community surrounding women and their rights.
Breaking the Silence: Religion listens to the voice of women victims of violence for the sake of justice, launced on June 30, is intended to serve as a reference for clerics, Islamic women's organizations and the government, in promoting progressive and just perspectives on the Islamic view of women.
Indonesia: Islamists take fight against Christians to Jakarta's suburbs
A banner with a picture of a young, bespectacled Christian man is draped in front of a mosque, a fiery noose around his neck and the words: "This man deserves the death penalty!" Churches are shut down. And an Islamic youth militia held its first day of training.
Though the events all occurred less than 15 kilometres from Indonesia's bustling capital, making headlines in local papers and dominating chats on social networking sites such as Facebook, they've sparked little public debate in the halls of power.
"I really see this as a threat to democracy," said Arbi Sanit, a political analyst, noting leaders never like to say anything that can be perceived as "un-Islamic," because they depend heavily on the support of Muslim parties in parliament. "Being popular is more important to them than punishing those who are clearly breaking the law," Sanit said.
Indonesia: Aceh laws discriminate against women
BANDA ACEH - Earlier this year, Sharia police arrested a 20-year-old college student and her boyfriend for indecency; they had been spending time together even though they were not legally married.
FPI radicals remain free after assault
Three days after the unruly Islam Defenders Front (FPI) stormed a human rights training workshop for transgender individuals in Depok, West Java, police seem reluctant to pursue the case further, with no arrests made to date.
Despite massive media reports covering the Friday attack and the presence of several police officers at the crime scene, police investigations have made little progress, despite apparent evidence of the perpetrators.
Court Upholdings “Defamation of Religions” Laws
On Monday 19 April, Indonesia’s Constitutional Court upheld the country’s controversial laws on “defamation of religions” or blasphemy. The legal provisions, which impose criminal penalties of up to five years’ imprisonment on individuals or groups that “deviate” from the basic teachings of the official religions, seriously threaten the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of thought, conscience and religion in Indonesia, especially in relation to minority groups.
Secular Indonesia Outraged Over Aceh Mob Justice
A government prosecutor hands over a whip to the executioner during a public caning in Aceh Besar in January this year. There is growing outrage after a man and woman caught committing adultery on were beaten and possibly caned under Islamic law by a mob on Wednesday.
Indonesia: Constitutional court upholds anti-pornography bill
By Karishma Vaswani
BBC News, Jakarta
Indonesia's constitutional court has upheld a controversial anti-pornography law, disappointing activists and cultural groups who had challenged it.
Aceh Shari'a police will not be disbanded despite rape case
A Sharia policeman speaks to two youths about the rules of Sharia law at the seaside area of Uleelheu in Banda Aceh.
Aceh: Sharia police arrested for ‘rape’
Sharia police arrested for ‘rape’
Hotli Simanjuntak , The Jakarta Post , Banda Aceh, Aceh | Tue, 01/12/2010 11:12 PM | National