A draft law aimed at protecting religious communities fails to uphold religious freedoms in Indonesia, says a human rights group.
“The bill upholds that the state can intervene in freedom of religion to maintain stability and security at the expense of minority groups,” said Bonar Tigor Naipospos of the Setara Institute.
The Indonesian government announced in November 2014 that it was drafting a bill to protect all religions, and there was an expectation that it would offer useful regulations about religion in public spaces, such as building places of worship, proselytizing, and funerals. However the bill clearly favours majority religious groups, according to Naipospos, adding that his organisation would push the Religious Affairs Ministry and Home Ministry to design a more comprehensive policy to eradicate religious discrimination.