Amnesty Challenges Minister's Claim on Religious Harmony

Amnesty International Indonesia has refuted Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar's assertion that Indonesia has reached the pinnacle of religious harmony. During the 81st Independence Day ceremony of the Republic of Indonesia at Merdeka Palace on August 17, 2026, Nasaruddin recited a prayer where he claimed Indonesia had achieved the highest socio-religious harmony in history.

However, Amnesty International Indonesia deputy director Wirya Adiwena argued that this claim contradicts the current reality. Wirya pointed out that hundreds of violations of religious freedom occur annually, harming interfaith harmony. According to Setara Institute, 221 religious freedom violations were recorded in 2025, and Amnesty International Indonesia documented at least five instances of discrimination against religious freedom from January to August 2026.

Some of these cases include bans on Eid al-Fitr prayers and resistance to the construction of new houses of worship. Wirya emphasized that the government should revoke certain regulations that justify discrimination against minority religious groups and repeal regulations related to house of worship establishment. He stressed that freedom of religion is a fundamental human right and the government must protect it equally for all citizens.