Indonesia: Christian man charged with blasphemy after uploading Youtube video

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Indonesian police have charged a Christian man with the imprisonable offense of blasphemy after he uploaded a Youtube video which went viral and caused offense to local Muslims, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.

A former Muslim, Muhammad Kace was arrested at his home in Bali on Wednesday, after neighbors complained that a video he uploaded to Youtube said the prophet Muhammad was “surrounded by devils and liars,” ICC reports. According to the neighbors, Kace had committed blasphemy by publishing this video.

Local Indonesian police charged Kace with blasphemy and disinformation under the Criminal Code (KUHP) and the Information and Electronic Transactions Act (UU ITE), ICC said. These offenses are punishable by up to six years in prison.

The National Police allege Kace has uploaded around 400 controversial videos on numerous social media platforms, ICC said. Kace has reportedly been taken from Bali to Jakarta for questioning at the Criminal Investigation Unit headquarters there.

In its report, ICC noted: “Kace’s case again highlights Indonesia’s abusive Blasphemy Law and how it can easily be employed to prosecute people of other faith criticizing Islam, whereas Muslims mocking Christians or Buddhists are always spared.” Indonesia ranks 47 on the US Open Doors Watch List of top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.

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