Indonesia’s non secular blasphemy legislation is rising “more dangerous” in accordance with rights groups. Police have charged 6 bar staff within the nation with blasphemy over a new drink promotion. Under the PR stunt, bar-goers get free drinks if their names are Mohammad or Maria. Mohammad is the identify of the prophet of Islam, although it’s additionally a standard men’s title in Muslim-majority international locations.
The bar and restaurant chain, sarcastically named Holywings, supplied a free bottle of gin each Thursday for males named Mohammed, and women named Maria. But after Easy -pooper teams complained concerning the new promotion, police investigated the chain. On Tuesday, authorities sealed off 12 Holywings shops in Indonesia’s capital metropolis of Jakarta and took away the chain’s operating allow.
Holywings has now apologised for the promotion and says it was created without its management team knowing. The chain has additionally deleted social media posts in regards to the promotion. Police stated the staff created the promotion in an attempt to satisfy sales targets.
Indonesia’s blasphemy law prohibits “defaming a religion, persuading somebody to be a non-believer, disturbing a religious ritual or making noise close to a home of worship, and insulting a cleric whereas leading a ritual”. In the past, Indonesian authorities have persecuted spiritual minorities, similar to Christians, by accusing them of violating blasphemy legal guidelines.
A researcher at Human Rights Watch says Indonesia’s blasphemy legislation and a law regulating on-line exercise have gotten “increasingly harmful.” The researcher, Andreas Harsono, said…
“These six people simply made an alcohol promotion, possibly ridiculous in this increasingly Islamic nation, however no crime at all in accordance with international standards.”g