As Indonesia approaches the middle of 2025, more than six months into the administration of President Prabowo Subianto, incidents of intolerance have become increasingly prevalent. The Government must take the necessary measures to guarantee the constitutional right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB).
In Banjar City, West Java, another violation of FoRB has occurred against the Indonesian Ahmadiyya Community (Jemaat Ahmadiyah Indonesia/JAI). An enforcement team led by the Head of the Banjar City Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, accompanied by approximately 30 individuals, visited the Istiqamah Mosque belonging to JAI in Banjar City with the intention of resealing the mosque and giving the congregation until Tuesday, 9 June 2025, to vacate the premises. The action was based on Mayor Regulation (Perwali) No. 10 of 2011 concerning the suspension of JAI activities in Banjar City. This discriminatory policy derives from West Java Governor Regulation (Pergub) No. 12 of 2011, which had previously been recommended for revocation by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) for violating human rights. The Joint Ministerial Decree (SKB) of Three Ministers No. 3 of 2008 has also been used as the legal basis for discriminatory actions against the Ahmadiyya community.
The violation of FoRB in Banjar City is not an isolated incident. By way of illustration, several other cases of intolerance have also attracted widespread public attention. In early June 2025, the Rector of the State Islamic Institute (IAIN) Manado canceled a scheduled book discussion titled “Unveiling the Truth of Ahmadiyah” after receiving pressure from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) of Manado City and North Sulawesi Province. This cancellation demonstrates the state’s weak protection of the constitutional rights to freedom of religion and worship, as well as freedom of expression.
Earlier, in May 2025, residents of Samarinda once again rejected the construction of the Toraja Church in Sungai Keledang Village, repeating the opposition they had expressed the previous year. Social tensions resurfaced following the appearance of banners rejecting the planned construction of the church. These banners were installed at several strategic locations throughout Sungai Keledang, including beneath the Mahakam IV Bridge Flyover, near the village administrative office, and around the residential area of Neighborhood Unit (RT) 24.
Meanwhile, the construction of Al-Muhajirin Mosque in Tomohon has remained stalled since 2021. To this day, the Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) has yet to issue the recommendation required for the mosque’s construction, despite the local Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs having already expressed its approval.
Data collected by SETARA Institute reveal a worrying trend. In 2024, at the beginning of President Prabowo’s administration, 260 incidents involving 402 violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) were recorded, comprising 260 separate acts. These figures indicate a significant increase compared with previous years, as illustrated in the following graph.
The increase in these incidents indicates a deterioration in the state of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in Indonesia. Regulations such as the Joint Ministerial Regulation (PBM) Nos. 8 and 9 of 2006, the Joint Ministerial Decree (SKB) of Three Ministers No. 3 of 2008, as well as various regional regulations that discriminate against the Ahmadiyya community, have further exacerbated the situation. These discriminatory measures and violations of FoRB undermine socio-political stability and hinder both the acceleration of national development and the realization of President Prabowo’s Asta Cita.
First, SETARA Institute urges the Central Government to take immediate action to resolve violations of FoRB, including the cases involving the Indonesian Ahmadiyya Community (JAI) in Banjar, the Tomohon case, the Samarinda case, and other incidents of intolerance and discrimination. The Government must not remain silent while a segment of its citizens becomes the victim of growing majoritarianism, whereby the majority imposes its will to restrict the rights of minority groups. The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, particularly Article 29 paragraph (2), explicitly provides that: “The State guarantees all persons the freedom to embrace their respective religions and to worship according to their religion and belief.”
Second, the President must not remain indifferent and should instruct all relevant ministries and government agencies to uphold the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia by: (1) reviewing and/or revoking the Joint Regulation of the Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister of Religious Affairs No. 90/80 of 2006, the 2008 Joint Decree of the Minister of Religious Affairs, the Attorney General, and the Minister of Home Affairs concerning the Warning against the Indonesian Ahmadiyya Community (JAI), along with all derivative regional legal instruments; and (2) dissolving the Coordinating Board for the Supervision of Community Beliefs (Bakor Pakem), which operates under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General’s Office pursuant to the Law on the Attorney General’s Office.
Third, the Minister of Home Affairs should ensure that regional governments comply with their obligation not to violate every citizen’s constitutional right to freedom of religion and worship. In accordance with the Regional Government Law, religious affairs fall under the jurisdiction of the Central Government. Whenever violations of citizens’ religious rights occur, the Ministry of Home Affairs must take the necessary measures to guarantee and protect the constitutional rights of religious minority groups.
Fourth, the Minister of Religious Affairs should mobilize the Ministry’s regional offices throughout the territory of the Republic of Indonesia to uphold the principles of tolerance and comply with the provisions of the Constitution, while promoting the constitutional rights of religious minority groups on the one hand and fostering harmony among religious communities on the other.
Media Contacts:
Achmad Fanani Rosyidi, Researcher on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), SETARA Institute, +62 857-5533-3657
Halili Hasan, Executive Director, SETARA Institute, +62 852-3000-8880