Report on the State of Freedom of Religion and Belief in Indonesia in 2020

This document is a comprehensive annual research report published by Pustaka Masyarakat Setara (SETARA Institute) in November 2021, titled “Intolerance During the Pandemic: The State of Freedom of Religion and Belief in Indonesia in 2020”. This vi + 157-page book was written by Kidung Asmara Sigit and Ismail Hasani, and edited by Halili Hasan.

This research report provides an in-depth analysis of the dynamics, challenges, and violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief (KBB) in Indonesia throughout 2020, a crucial period during which the world—including Indonesia—was gripped by a global health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The main focus of this report is to analyze how the pandemic emergency and social restrictions have, in fact, intersected with a rise in acts of intolerance within society, discrimination by both state and non-state actors, and disruptions to the places of worship of minority groups. This report aims to reinforce the state’s accountability as a duty bearer in the field of human rights in order to preserve an ecosystem of tolerance and diversity.