Rio Tuasikal – Raids conducted without legal grounds have again occurred against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people. Three transgender women in Lampung province, North Sumatra, were hosed down with water from a fire truck in an action which has been slammed as “inhuman” and “arbitrary”.

Audrey Santoso, Jakarta – A group of people who were part of a Defend the Tauhid [Oneness of God] action at the Poso regency House of Representatives (DPRD) in Central Sulawesi have taken down the red-and-white national flag and replaced it with a black flag bearing the kalimat tauhid (the Islamic creed).

Ika DefiantiIka Defianti, Jakarta – A Defend the Tauhid [Oneness of God] action in Jakarta on Friday by a group of people angered over the burning of the Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) flag because it bore the Islamic creed has turned into a platform for the “2019 Change the President” campaign.

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – Since the 2019 presidential campaign period officially opened on September 22, both presidential and vice presidential tickets have waged “guerrilla warfare” through visits to Islamic boarding schools (pondok pesantren) in every corner of the country.

Jakarta – The Cianjur regency government in West Java is planning to issue an appeal to the principles of all primary and senior high schools along with equivalent educational institutions to socialise the dangers of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT).

Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) has responded positively to the call by the Cianjur regency government in West Java for mosques to give sermons at Friday prayers on the dangers of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT).

Jakarta – The Cianjur regency government in West Java has asked all regency mosques to present sermons on the dangers of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) and HIV/AIDS at Friday prayers this October 19.

Man: Forward Mr... (T-shirt with 73th anniversary of independence)

Agus Setyadi, Aceh – Bireuen regent Saifannur has issued a new regulation on the “standardisation” of coffee shops, cafes and restaurants in the regency in accordance with Sharia law.

Christie Stefanie, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo says that he respect the verdict handed down by the Medan District Court against Meiliana who was sentenced to one-and-a-half years in jail after being found guilty of blasphemy.

Bayu Adi Wicaksono – Democrat Party politician Dede Yusuf has exposed the lie behind claims that a wave of Chinese workers is being employed by PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (PT IMIP) in Morowali, South Sulawesi.

Achmad Faizal, Surabaya – Thousands of workers from the East Java Ring I industrial zone entered the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya to commemorate Labour Day (May Day) on Tuesday May 1.

Hundreds of students and local residents in Sukoharjo, Central Java, held a protest action in front of the Sukoharjo regional police headquarters (Mapolres) on Thursday March 22.

Datuk Haris Maulana, Aceh – Since the armed conflict broke out up until a peace agreement was reached, to this day Aceh still does not have any cinemas. People from Tanah Rencong – as Aceh is known – who want to watch the latest films have to leave Aceh or wait until they are released on movie websites.

Ihsan Dalimunthe & Dika Dania Kardi, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulama Council’s (MUI) Religious Outreach Commission chairperson, Cholil Nafis, agrees with a plan to apply beheadings (hukum pancung, qisas) for murderers whihh is currently being considered by the Aceh Islamic Law Office.

Agus Setyadi, ace – The Aceh Islam Law Office (DSI) is debating the application of Qisas – retributive justice – for perpetrators of crimes such as murder in order to push down crime rates which have been rising of late.

Ihsan Dalimunthe, Jakarta – The spokesperson for the outlawed hardline Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), Ismail Yusanto, has confirmed there have been discussions between HTI leaders and the Crescent Star Party (PBB) on participating in the 2019 legislative elections (pileg).

Today, Thursday March 8, is commemorated as International Women’s Day (IWD). IWD action coordinator Jumisih said that the women’s should not be banned from wearing an Islamic veil on campus.

Dias Saraswati, Jakarta – The Anti-Communist Youth Movement (GEPAK) plans to report the organising committee of a recent discussion titled The Revival of the PKI: Reality or Propaganda to police.

Muhammad Hendartyo, Jakarta – Mardani Ali Sera has clarified a statement by sacked Alumni Presidium 212 founder Faizal Assegaf who said that Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan used Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) leader Habib Rizieq Shihab to win the Jakarta election.