Two Lebak Women Face 1.5 Years and 8 Months Jail Terms for Stepping on the Quran

The trial of an alleged blasphemy case in Lebak Regency has commenced, with defendant Nurlela facing a 1.5-year prison sentence and defendant Meta facing an 8-month term. Lebak District Prosecutor’s Office Head of General Crimes, Fitri Jayantieka, stated on Tuesday (4/8/2026) that Nurlela was charged under two articles concerning religious blasphemy and the Electronic Information and Transactions Law, while Meta was charged with blasphemy for stepping on the Quran at Nurlela’s command. Fitri said the defendants’ actions related to issues of ethnicity, religion, race, and inter-group relations, and were deemed to have demeaned Islam, causing deep hurt among Muslims, particularly in Lebak Regency and Indonesia generally. Neither defendant was detained; Meta has a young child and Nurlela is approximately eight months pregnant. The incident occurred in April 2026 at a beauty salon owned by Nurlela in Malingping District, Lebak, after Nurlela accused Meta of stealing makeup tools. When Meta denied the accusation, Nurlela forced her to swear an oath by stepping on the Quran. The act went viral on social media, sparking public outrage and leading police to name both women as suspects.