Indonesian TikToker Sentenced for Blasphemy Over Jesus Haircut Remark

Ratu Thalisa’s conviction has sparked widespread condemnation, raising concerns over freedom of expression in Indonesia.

An Indonesian TikToker has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for making remarks deemed blasphemous against Jesus during a livestream. Ratu Thalisa, a Muslim transgender woman with a following of over 442,000 on TikTok, was found guilty by a Medan court for telling a picture of Jesus on her phone to cut his hair after a viewer suggested she should do the same to appear more masculine. The court ruled her comments could disturb "public order" and "religious harmony," leading to charges filed under a contentious online hate-speech law.

The verdict provoked outrage from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, which described the ruling as a severe infringement on Ratu Thalisa's right to free expression. Amnesty's Indonesia Executive Director, Usman Hamid, condemned the use of the Electronic Information and Transactions (EIT) Law, which penalizes individuals for social media comments, urging for the immediate reversal of the conviction. "While Indonesia should combat hate speech that incites violence or discrimination, Ratu Thalisa's remarks did not cross that line," Hamid stated.

The EIT Law, in place since 2008 and amended in 2016 to address online defamation, has faced criticism from rights advocates and legal experts for its potential to suppress free speech. Between 2019 and 2024, over 560 individuals faced charges under this law, with many being social media influencers. Earlier this year, a Muslim woman's TikTok blasphemy conviction and another TikToker's detention for questioning children's understanding of the Quran highlight the law's controversial application.

Thalisa's case illustrates the complexities of Indonesia's religious landscape, where predominantly Muslim laws often target minority faiths. Despite being a Muslim accused of blasphemy against Christianity, this situation is less typical. Prosecutors initially sought a sentence exceeding four years and have since appealed the court's decision. Thalisa has a week to mount her counter-appeal as her case continues to draw attention both locally and internationally.