Zunita Putri, Jakarta – Transwoman and celebrity Isa Zega has caused a stir on social media after she performed the Umrah pilgrimage (a smaller version of the haj pilgrimage to Mecca) wearing a sharia hijab.

Riang Karunianidi – On Monday August 20, the Constitutional Court found in favour of a lawsuit submitted by the Labour Party and the Indonesian People's Wave Party (Gelora) on the Regional Elections Law (UU Pilkada).

Jakarta – The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy recorded 217 incidents involving 329 acts violating freedom of religion and belief (KBB) throughout 2023. This figure is a significant increase compared with the previous year which stood at 175 incidents with 333 violations.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform is asking that all legal proceedings against political opponents that smack of politics as well as socialisation and campaign activities in the 2024 elections be stopped.

The two year prison sentence handed down against a TikTok influencer who goes by the name Lina Mukherjee, after she was charged with blasphemy over the content of a video in which she ate pork after expressing the phrase "Bismillah" (in the Name of Allah), has triggered a variety of reactions in cyberspace.

Eka Yudha Saputra, Adelia Stevina, Jakarta – The National Police Criminal Investigations Directorate (Bareskrim Polri) for General Crimes has officially declared the founder of the Al Zaytun Islamic boarding school (pesantren) Panji Gumilang as a suspect on charges of

Singgih Wiryono, Jakarta – Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial) is advising the public to be careful about forming hasty opinions ahead of a political year, including over the controversy surrounding the Al Zaytun Islamic boarding school (pesantren) and its leader

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition is urging the national police criminal investigations directorate (Bareskrim) to halt the investigation into the head of the Al Zaytun Islamic boarding school (Ponpes), Panji Gumilang, for alleged

Jakarta – Indonesia's top Islamic body the Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) has issued fatwa (edict) Number 38/2023 on laws concerning women being mosque preachers (khatib) in the context of Friday prayers (salat Jumat).

Dipo Negoro – The Labour Party (Partai Buruh) organised a three day national working meeting (Rakernas) on January 14-17. The meeting was attended by some 800 Labour Party executive committee representatives from 38 provinces.

Ardito Ramadhan, Jakarta – Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFENet) freedom of expression division head Nenden Sekar Arum is of the view that the stupa meme case which has ensnared telematics expert and former Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Roy Suryo is evidence that the catchall articles under Law Number 19/2016 on Information

Leon Kastayudha – The Draft Criminal Code (RKUHP) initiated by bourgeois politicians contains a series of problematic regulations which in essence legalise despotism and at the same time facilitate the extension of capitalist exploitation – the very thing that was the main target of the Reform Corrupted (Reformasi Dikorupsi) movement in 2019.

Rahel Narda Chaterine, Jakarta -– Criminal law expert Suparji Ahmad from the Indonesian Al Azhar University says that the Draft Criminal Code (RUU KUHP or RKUHP) still has nuances of colonialism.

Muhammad Farhan, Jakarta – The Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) is calling for changes to be made to 14 articles in the Draft Criminal code (RKUHP) which threaten press freedom. The 14 articles are found in the draft of the law which was discussed by the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III on May 25.

Jakarta – A number of observers believe that the intellectual actors behind the discourse on postponing the 2024 legislative and presidential elections or for President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to serve a third term in office are currently trying to change public opinion by garnering mass support from certain groups, not just through political elite

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The National Alliance for Criminal Code Reform says it regrets a move by the Justice and Human Rights Ministry (Kemenkumham) to start socialising revisions to the Criminal Code (KUHP).

Kid: Don't let there be any more victims (headband reads "Democracy")

Jakarta – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticised the government of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo for its weak health response to Covid-19 which has brought Indonesia to its knees since the pandemic started in March 2020.

Irfan Kamil, Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia says that the police committed acts of violence when securing the protest actions against the Draft Omnibus Law on Job Creation in October and November.

Jakarta – The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) officially appointed its new leadership board for the period 2020-2025 during its 10th National Conference which was held in Jakarta on November 25-27.