Religious Affairs Minister Forms Task Force to Prevent Violence in Islamic Boarding Schools

Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar has stated that the Ministry of Religious Affairs is forming a pesantren development unit to prevent various deviations, including sexual violence. This policy was announced amid the emergence of alleged sexual violence cases in pesantren environments.

“We have formed a Pesantren Development Unit, in which pesantren leaders collaborate to monitor and prevent any deviations that occur in pesantren,” said Nasaruddin in an official statement on Wednesday, 6 May 2026.

Nasaruddin also denied various hoaxes targeting him. However, in his release, he did not explain the hoaxes in question.

He emphasised that he does not tolerate acts of violence and harassment, whether physical, verbal, or sexual. “Not only as the Minister of Religious Affairs, but as a human being, I state that everything contrary to morality must be our common enemy,” he said.

According to him, educational institutions must be safe and dignified spaces for all students. He also urged the public to be more discerning in filtering information, especially hoaxes that have the potential to divide.

The statement came after an alleged sexual violence case at a pesantren in Tlogowungu Subdistrict, Pati Regency, Central Java, drew public attention. The case went viral on social media after the Pati City Police Resort (Polresta) elevated its status to the investigation stage.

Polresta Pati named the pesantren caregiver with the initials AS as a suspect. The number of victims is said to reach 50 people. The incident is alleged to have occurred from 2020 to 2026.

Head of Polresta Pati, Commissioner General of Police Jaka Wahyudi, said AS skipped the scheduled examination summons on Monday, 4 May 2026. “The suspect skipped and did not attend the examination,” said the Head of Pati City Police Resort, Commissioner General Jaka Wahyudi, on Tuesday, 5 May 2026.

Jaka said that after the suspect did not attend the summons yesterday, investigators will directly arrest the suspect. Polresta Pati investigators plan to summon the suspect for examination and detention. However, the suspect did not show up. To date, the suspect’s whereabouts are unknown.