Indonesian TikToker Sentenced  to Three Years in Prison for Blasphemy Against Jesus

Ratu Thalisa, a Muslim transgender woman and popular TikToker with over 442,000 followers, has been sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison for blasphemy.

According to BBC report, the court in Medan, Sumatra found her guilty of spreading hatred under the country’s controversial online hate-speech law.

The controversy began when Thalisa responded to a comment on her livestream, telling a picture of Jesus to “get a haircut.” Christian groups filed police complaints, leading to her conviction. The court ruled that her comments could disrupt “public order” and “religious harmony” in society.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned the sentence. Usman Hamid, Executive Director of Amnesty International Indonesia, described it as “a shocking attack on Ratu Thalisa’s freedom of expression” and called for it to be quashed.

“The Indonesian authorities should not use the country’s Electronic Information and Transactions (EIT) law to punish people for comments made on social media,” Hamid said. “While Indonesia should prohibit the advocacy of religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence, Ratu Thalisa’s speech act does not reach that threshold.”

Thalisa’s case highlights concerns about Indonesia’s EIT Law, which has been criticized for its potential threat to freedom of expression. At least 560 people have been charged with alleged violations of the law between 2019 and 2024, with 421 convicted.