Muslim cleric arrested on charges of blasphemy. Indonesia recognizes six religions as Hinduism, Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Confucianism and Buddhism.
Panji Gumilang, 77, from Indramayu district in West Java was arrested of August 1 by the Indonesian National Police official Djuhandhani Rahardjo outside the Criminal Investigation Agency in Jarkarta.
“Investigators took legal action,” Djuhandhani said on Tuesday.
“(Panji will be) detained in the Criminal Investigation Agency’s detention facility for 20 days,” Djuhandhani Rahardjo said.
Police are adamant to reveal what Panji had done or said that constituted blasphemy but indicated that they were responding to public complaints.
In June this year, the Islamic Cleric Council indicated that they were investigating Al-Zaytun for “misguided religious practices” according to CNN Indonesia. If found guilty of hate speech and blasphemy, Panji faces 10 years behind the bar.
Panji’s lawyer, Hendra Effendy, called for calm from his supporters.
“He is after all, a public figure with millions of supporters… With all this happening, we don’t know what could happen,” he told CNN Indonesia.
Most mainstream schools around the globe segregate men and women during prayers and never permits women to deliver sermons or lead mixed gendered prayers. Indonesia has the largest population of Muslims in a single country at 231 million believers. Despite having Muslims as a majority, Indonesia is a secular nation. The country recognizes six religions as Hinduism, Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Confucianism and Buddhism.
Panji Gumilang, 77, from Indramayu district in West Java was arrested of August 1 by the Indonesian National Police official Djuhandhani Rahardjo outside the Criminal Investigation Agency in Jarkarta.
“Investigators took legal action,” Djuhandhani said on Tuesday.
“(Panji will be) detained in the Criminal Investigation Agency’s detention facility for 20 days,” Djuhandhani Rahardjo said.
Police are adamant to reveal what Panji had done or said that constituted blasphemy but indicated that they were responding to public complaints.
In June this year, the Islamic Cleric Council indicated that they were investigating Al-Zaytun for “misguided religious practices” according to CNN Indonesia. If found guilty of hate speech and blasphemy, Panji faces 10 years behind the bar.
Panji’s lawyer, Hendra Effendy, called for calm from his supporters.
“He is after all, a public figure with millions of supporters… With all this happening, we don’t know what could happen,” he told CNN Indonesia.
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