Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Indonesia: Two Christians Arrested for Social Media Blasphemy Against Islam
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Police in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia, recently arrested two Christian men in separate incidents of alleged blasphemy against Islam, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. Although Christianity is constitutionally legal in Indonesia, the Muslim-majority country ranks 42 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.
On October 17, police in Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra Province, arrested florist Rudi Simamora for commenting on social media that messages from the Islamic prophet Muhammad were of human rather than divine origin, MSN reports. Simamora’s comments caused hundreds of Muslims to stage an angry protest around his home.
When Simamora called for police, he was arrested and detained for more than an hour, MSN reports. Simamora’s arrest last week followed his recent release from prison, to which he was sentenced last year for allegedly Islam.
In a similar case, on September 3, police in North Sumatra Province arrested Muchtar Nababan for allegedly blaspheming Muhammad and Islam on his Facebook. Muchtar reportedly said Christians are protected from Islamic black magic. Police were called after Raju Firmanda, secretary of the National Committee of Indonesia Youth (Komite Nasional Pemuda Indonesia, or KNPI), Central Tapanuli Chapter, filed a case against him.
“The situation for Christians [in Indonesia] has been deteriorating in recent years, with Indonesian society increasingly influenced by conservative interpretations of Islam,” the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization notes in a current website statement.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
European policymakers, church leaders and representatives of Syria’s Christian communities have urged the country’s transitional authorities to protect minority Christians amid concerns over the future of believers in the war-torn Middle East nation.
A reported Houthi attack has struck Saudi Arabia’s strategically vital East-West oil pipeline, the massive cross-country system designed to keep Saudi crude flowing even when the Strait of Hormuz is threatened or closed.
Spanish-Moroccan relations, already strained over migration, faced more pressure Friday after Spain’s lower house of parliament approved legislation that would grant Spanish citizenship to tens of thousands of Sahrawis born when Madrid administered Western Sahara.
Russia launched fresh air attacks on Ukraine early Friday after NATO reportedly confronted Russian vessels trying to sabotage undersea cables, highlighting concerns that Moscow is attempting to extend the war by targeting Europe’s critical infrastructure.
Iran-backed Houthi forces seized Yemen’s strategic Red Sea port city of Mocha, raising fears for global shipping as escalating Middle East tensions pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel.
The United States and its allies are commemorating the 25th anniversary of the worst terror attacks on American soil, which had worldwide implications ranging from wars to increased surveillance.
Several impoverished Christians have died across Pakistan in recent days amid what advocates describe as a pattern of violence, discrimination and hardship potentially threatening the Christian community throughout the predominantly Muslim nation, Christian sources told Worthy News.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com