Posted on 08/05/2023 5:08:06 AM PDT by Salman
A Muslim cleric has been arrested on charges of blasphemy and hate speech in Indonesia after his decision to allow women to preach and pray beside men sparked a backlash in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.
Panji Gumilang, 77, who runs the Al-Zaytun boarding school in the district of Indramayu in West Java, was arrested on Tuesday, Indonesian National Police official Djuhandhani Rahardjo told reporters outside its Criminal Investigation Agency in Jakarta.
In the past, the school, home to roughly 5,000 students, has faced public backlash over its unorthodox practices like allowing men and women to pray alongside each other and women to become imams. Unlike other Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia, its prayer sessions do not follow gender segregation, angering some religious groups.
“Investigators took legal action,” Djuhandhani said on Tuesday. “(Panji will be) detained in the Criminal Investigation Agency’s detention facility for 20 days,” he added.
Police did not specify what Panji had said or done that constituted blasphemy but said they were acting on public complaints.
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And notice he was arrested. It’s not a religious law if it is enforced by the government.
“his decision to allow women to preach and pray beside men”
His suggestion of that notion is at least 400 years ahead of where that religion is. 😏
The cleric lost his head!
In America people are arrested for the blasphemy of political dissent. Are we that much different?
An excellent observation. Sue someone for not decoratng a cake with "whatever." And so mnay similar tales.
Good for them for arresting him.
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