Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Indonesia breached the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) that was ratified in 2005 by keeping its blasphemy law valid.

“Indonesia should revoke the blasphemy law. It's an unseparated component of the 2005 law [on the ICCPR ratification],” HRW researcher Andreas Harsono told The Jakarta Post after a discussion in Cikini, Central Jakarta, on Monday.

He went on to say that the blasphemy law, which was stipulated under Article 56 of the Criminal Code, had violated human rights, in particular freedom of expression.

The law, which had been used to charge 106 people during former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono administration, had protected religious beliefs, practices, institutions and leaders from necessary criticism, he added.

“Blasphemy laws are subjective and inconsistent and there is no 'right way' of using them. The laws have legitimized vigilantism, mob violence and persecution of minorities," Andreas said.

He further said that currently, only 26 percent of countries across the world still had either blasphemy policy or blasphemy law.

In 2009, four Muslim scholars filed judicial review of the blasphemy law at Constitutional Court, during which they lost in an 8-to-1 voting.

The law is currently used to charge Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, who was accused of blasphemy for mentioning Surah Al Maidah 51 in his remarks during his work visit to Thousand Islands in late September. Ahok is set to undergo his second hearing concerning his blasphemy charges at the North Jakarta District Court on Tuesday.

“It is taking so much energy just to debate Ahok's case. The court’s judges should have listened to those scholars and international calls," Andreas said. (ebf)