Indonesian comedian hit with blasphemy complaints over Netflix jokes

A police complaint against one of Indonesia’s best-known comedians has reignited debate over satire, blasphemy and free expression in the world’s third-largest democracy. The case involves 46-year-old stand-up comic and actor Pandji Pragiwaksono, whose Netflix special Mens Rea – an unfiltered performance touching on politics, law and democracy – was recorded in Jakarta before an audience of around 10,000 people on December 30. Pandji’s routine pokes fun at Indonesia’s political elite, taking aim at President Prabowo Subianto, Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, former leader Joko Widodo and the national police. However, it was his jokes about Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, the country’s two largest Muslim organisations, that triggered the backlash. On January 8, groups claiming to represent the youth wings of NU and Muhammadiyah filed police complaints accusing Pandji of public incitement and blasphemy. “We reported [Pandji] as we felt he was demeaning, slanderous and prone to cause a commotion,” Rizki Abdul Rahman Wahid of NU Youth Force was cited as saying by CNN Indonesia, alleging that the comic had suggested the two groups received mining concessions in return for political support. Both NU and Muhammadiyah have since distanced themselves from the complaints, saying the youth groups are not officially affiliated. Ulil Abshar Abdalla, head of NU’s executive board, said he regretted the move. “We need a lot of laughter in this country,” he added. “It would be a shame if a comedian who makes so many people laugh had to be reported to the authorities.” We need a lot of laughter in this country Ulil Abshar Abdalla, Nahdlatul Ulama official Pandji has also received support online, with film director Indra Yudhistira writing on social media that Mens Rea marked “a shift in the function of stand-up” in Indonesia, from entertainment to “social corrective”. He praised Pandji for depicting “the sociopolitical anxieties of Indonesia with a precision that mainstream journalism might not dare to touch”. Responding to the complaints, Pandji said he respected his critics’ right to report him. “If I want to be given the freedom to say whatever I want, then others also have the freedom to say whatever they want,” he told the Tempo news outlet on January 9, adding that he was open to explaining his material to them – and he hoped that they would laugh. Separate reports have also been filed against Pandji in Malang, East Java, by two other groups alleging blasphemy and insults to Islam. One group objected to his suggestion that voters should consider candidates’ qualifications rather than their religiosity. ‘Not a crime’ Legal experts suggest that the complaints may struggle to meet the threshold for prosecution under Indonesia’s 2023 Criminal Code. The Institute for Criminal Justice Reform said Pandji’s remarks “did not constitute a criminal offence”, noting that incitement required actively urging someone to commit a crime – something his jokes clearly did not do. Criminal law scholar Hery Firmansyah of Tarumanagara University said investigators must determine whether Pandji’s material “really contains elements of hostility”. He added that the comedian could bring expert witnesses to show that his jokes fell under artistic expression and did “not fulfil the elements of the crime”. Police in Jakarta have pledged to consult legal experts, with Director of General Criminal Investigation Iman Imanuddin vowing in a statement on Monday “to maintain professionalism” and “protect freedom of expression in art”. Nur Ansar, a researcher with the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, called the blasphemy complaint “irrelevant”, arguing that the material neither insulted any religion nor spread hatred. “NU and Muhammadiyah have been given mining concessions since 2024. It’s been widely reported, so the matter is clear,” he said. “None of the articles used by the complainant is relevant.” Silencing satire? Hery said that under Indonesia’s revised criminal code, authorities could pursue “restorative justice” against Pandji instead of prosecution. “If Pandji is prosecuted, many people would be caught up in the same case,” he said. “This sets a bad precedent for those who express their grievances or criticism through satire.” The Jakarta Legal Aid Institute voiced similar concerns, saying the complaints risked creating “a chilling effect” on artists and critics. “The phenomenon of ‘self-censorship’ will occur, meaning that people independently censor themselves to avoid criticising or expressing anything that is disapproved of by those in power,” it said in a statement on January 9. “This will undoubtedly have negative consequences for democracy, the rule of law and human rights.”

Indonesian comedian hit with blasphemy complaints over Netflix jokes

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Pandji Pragiwaksono’s unfiltered set took aim at the president, but it was a quip about religious groups that triggered police reports

Pandji Pragiwaksono’s unfiltered set took aim at the president, but it was a quip about religious groups that triggered police reports