SETARA Institute has once again released its annual report on the state of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Indonesia for 2024, continuing a monitoring effort that has been conducted consistently over the past 18 years. The FoRB data were compiled based on monitoring of violations that occurred throughout the year, drawing on reports from victims and witnesses, monitoring networks across various regions, and triangulation with media coverage.
General Findings and Key Highlights
The state of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in 2024 signals a strong regression during the final period of President Joko Widodo’s administration and the beginning of President Prabowo Subianto’s presidency. Rather than leaving behind a legacy of significant progress in advancing FoRB, President Jokowi concluded his administration with a decade marked by stagnation in the protection of religious freedom. The persistently high number of FoRB violations over the past ten years reflects the state’s failure to build an ecosystem of tolerance. At the same time, the transition to President Prabowo’s administration has yet to demonstrate a strong commitment to advancing FoRB. The continued occurrence of FoRB violations under the new administration indicates that President Prabowo has not yet seriously translated Asta Cita Point 8, which commits to strengthening interfaith tolerance, into concrete action.
Throughout 2024, SETARA Institute documented 260 incidents involving 402 acts of FoRB violations. This represents a significant increase compared to 2023, when 217 incidents involving 329 acts were recorded. Of the total violations, 159 acts were committed by state actors, while 243 acts were perpetrated by non-state actors.
One factor believed to have contributed to the increase in FoRB violations in 2024 was the national political climate, particularly the Presidential and Legislative Elections held on 14 February and the simultaneous Regional Elections on 27 November. Although religious identity politics did not emerge as massively as in previous election years (2014 and 2019), findings indicate that the politicization of religion continued in several regions. Moreover, government attention to FoRB issues declined toward the end of President Joko Widodo’s administration. The government’s focus on the political transition reduced attention to the advancement of freedom of religion or belief.
Overall, three major highlights characterize the FoRB situation in 2024.
First, there was a significant increase in acts of intolerance committed by members of society (73 cases) and discriminatory actions by state actors (50 cases). These figures represent a sharp increase compared to 2023, when 26 acts of intolerance and 23 discriminatory actions were recorded.
Second, the use of Indonesia’s blasphemy provisions increased dramatically. From 15 blasphemy-related cases in 2023, the number nearly tripled to 42 cases in 2024. These included seven prosecutions and seven criminal suspect designations carried out by state authorities, as well as 29 public complaints alleging blasphemy.
Third, disturbances affecting the establishment and operation of houses of worship continued. Although the number of such incidents declined from 65 cases in 2023 to 42 cases in 2024, the figures indicate that the issue of establishing places of worship remains unresolved at a systemic level.
Of the 159 violations committed by state actors, the majority involved local governments (50 acts), followed by the National Police (30), Municipal Police (Satpol PP) (21), the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) (10), the Attorney General’s Office (10), and Regional Leadership Coordination Forums (Forkopimda) (6).
Violations committed by non-state actors also reveal a concerning pattern. The largest number of violations involved religious mass organizations (49 acts), followed by community groups (40), individual citizens (28), the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) (21), general mass organizations (11), individual actors (11), and community leaders (10). Compared with 2023, violations involving religious organizations increased significantly, indicating the strengthening of conservative tendencies within the religious sphere, often characterized by increasingly narrow interpretations of religious diversity and belief.
Regionally, West Java once again recorded the highest number of FoRB violations in 2024 with 38 incidents, maintaining its position from 2023. It was followed by East Java (34 incidents), DKI Jakarta (31), North Sumatra (29), South Sulawesi (18), and Banten (17).
National Leadership: Outlook and Challenges
The protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief represents a critical challenge for Indonesia’s new national leadership under President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. The increase in FoRB violations throughout 2024 demonstrates the state’s weak commitment to protecting citizens’ constitutional rights during the political transition. Acts of intolerance and discrimination, committed by both members of society and state officials, remain widespread, highlighting the gap between political commitments and their implementation in practice. The previous administration tended to sideline civil liberties issues in favor of economic and political priorities, further weakening public confidence in the state’s commitment to human rights.
The Prabowo–Gibran administration has a strategic opportunity to reverse this negative trend by making the advancement of Freedom of Religion or Belief a national priority. This requires concrete measures, including regulatory reforms such as revising the Joint Ministerial Decree (PBM) No. 9 and No. 8 of 2006, imposing a moratorium on the use of the blasphemy provisions, and strengthening the capacity of government institutions and law enforcement agencies to handle FoRB cases fairly. Beyond regulatory reform, the state must also demonstrate firm moral and political leadership in promoting a culture of tolerance throughout society, rather than relying solely on symbolic political gestures.
Recommendations
In light of the findings regarding the state of Freedom of Religion or Belief in 2024, SETARA Institute recommends that the Government immediately undertake progressive measures to address the deteriorating FoRB situation, including:
- President Prabowo Subianto should integrate the advancement of Freedom of Religion or Belief and tolerance into the national development agenda as a priority within the 2024–2045 National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJP) and the 2024–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN).
- The President should ensure meaningful public participation in the drafting of strategic regulations, including the proposed Presidential Regulation on Religious Harmony, and accelerate the establishment of the National Regulatory Agency, as mandated by Law No. 15 of 2019, to strengthen the review and elimination of discriminatory policies.
- The central government, through the Minister of Home Affairs, should mainstream inclusive governance within regional administrations by issuing specific policies that promote inclusive governance in managing Indonesia’s diversity.
Contact Persons:
- Ahmad Fanani Rosyidi, Researcher on Freedom of Religion or Belief, SETARA Institute, +62 857 5533 3657
- Sayyidatul Insiyah, Rule of Law Researcher, SETARA Institute, +62 895 3669 15954
- Halili Hasan, Executive Director, SETARA Institute, +62 852 3000 8880
The full report can be downloaded here:
Press Release – The State of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) 2024 – SETARA Institute