SURABAYA, Indonesia — Hundreds of angry people surrounded the home of an Indonesian Christian over statements against Islam the man reportedly made on social media.
Quoting TVOne.com, Morning Star News reports that Rudi Simamora, a florist in Sunggal in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province, supposedly stated on TikTok that Muhammad’s messages were human, not divine.
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A mob besieged Simamora’s home Oct. 17, and he used TikTok to ask police to intervene, according to Morning Star, quoting Tribun Medan TV.
Sources say police arrested him for the purportedly blasphemous comments.
In 2022, Simamora was accused of insulting Islam and was arrested. He was sentenced in February 2023 to a one-year prison term and was released in 2024, states Morning Star, referencing information from Kompas Gramedia-owned Tribun.com.
In an unrelated case, a former councilor for Sibolga in North Sumatra province was arrested Sept. 3 on a claim of blasphemy. Morning Star says Muchtar Nababan was accused of using his Facebook account to blaspheme Muhammad and Islam.
Muslims account for more than 83% of Indonesia’s population, states Morning Star, using figures from Joshua Project.
Indonesia is No. 42 on Open Doors’ 2024 World Watch List of places most difficult to be a Christian.
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