{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1661994,
        "msgid": "ministry-of-human-rights-proposes-bill-on-religious-freedom-1775602311",
        "date": "2026-04-07 19:35:35",
        "title": "Ministry of Human Rights Proposes Bill on Religious Freedom",
        "author": "",
        "source": "TEMPO_ID",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "The Indonesian Ministry of Human Rights has proposed a Bill on Religious Freedom to ensure justice and freedom of expression for all believers, amid ongoing cases of religious intolerance. Minister Natalius Pigai discussed the initiative with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, highlighting the need to protect local belief groups like Sunda Wiwitan, but faces resistance favouring protection only for recognised religions. This proposal addresses recent incidents, such as the sealing of a Christian worship house in Tangerang, underscoring the urgency for broader religious freedoms in Indonesia.",
        "content": "<p>The Ministry of Human Rights has proposed the formation of a Bill on\nReligious Freedom to guarantee justice and freedom of expression for all\nholders of beliefs in Indonesia.<\/p>\n<p>Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai stated that his agency has\nopened discussions with the Ministry of Religious Affairs regarding this\nproposal. However, he did not explain in detail when those discussions\ntook place.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnly the Minister of Religious Affairs said it couldn\u2019t be done, if\nit\u2019s a Bill for the Protection of the Religious Community,\u201d said Pigai\nduring a working meeting with Commission XIII of the House of\nRepresentatives, on Tuesday, 7 April 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Hearing that response, Pigai recounted that he posed a follow-up\nquestion. He noted that if what is accommodated is a Bill for the\nProtection of the Religious Community, then the government can only\nprovide protection to recognised religions.<\/p>\n<p>He reminded that Indonesia has local belief groups, for example,\nSunda Wiwitan which is spread across West Java and Banten.<\/p>\n<p>However, he continued, this proposal is still in the debate phase.\nMoreover, the paradigm guiding Indonesia still focuses on protection\nefforts, not freedom.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut who knows, in 2027 or 2028 we can find a meeting point,\u201d said\nPigai.<\/p>\n<p>The proposal for the formation of the Bill on Religious Freedom was\nconveyed by Pigai in response to reports of numerous ongoing cases of\nintolerance and religious-based violence in Indonesia.<\/p>\n<p>Most recently, an intolerance case occurred last Friday. The home of\nthe congregation of the Ecumenical Fellowship of Christian Believers or\nPOUK Tesalonika in Teluknaga Subdistrict, Tangerang, Banten, was sealed\nafter the congregation held Good Friday worship.<\/p>\n<p>The Tangerang Regency Government\u2019s Civil Service Police Unit attached\npaper as a sealing marker and cut the nameplate of the prayer house\nfoundation.<\/p>\n<p>They used Tangerang Regency Regulation Number 13 of 2022 as the\nreason for the sealing. That public order regulation governs building\npermits or PBG for places of worship.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ministry-of-human-rights-proposes-bill-on-religious-freedom-1775602311",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}