Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Blasphemy
Islam Strictly Prohibits Pork Consumption
A famous Indonesian influencer was sentenced to two years in prison for posting a video of herself performing an Islamic prayer and eating pork.
According to CNN and other sources on the 21st (local time), Lina Lutpiati (33) was sentenced to two years in prison at the Palembang District Court in South Sumatra Province on the 19th. In Indonesia, where blasphemy is punishable by law, offenders can face up to five years in prison. The court also ordered her to pay a fine of 250 million rupiah (approximately 22 million KRW). If the fine is not paid, the prison term will be extended by three months.
According to CNN, the average annual income per capita in Indonesia is about $4,300 (approximately 5.8 million KRW). The fine Lina Lutpiati must pay is equivalent to the income earned by an average citizen over four years, making it a severe penalty.
Influencer Rootpiawati, who has over 2 million followers on TikTok, was charged with blasphemy after posting a video eating pig skin on her TikTok account last March. [Photo by Rina Rootpiawati X (formerly Twitter)]
Lutpiati, an influencer with over 2 million TikTok followers, was charged with blasphemy after posting a video in March on her TikTok account showing her eating pig skin.
In the video, she said "Bismillah" before eating the pig skin dish. "Bismillah" is a Muslim prayer said before meals, meaning "In the name of Allah."
The video was viewed millions of times, and as it became a hot topic, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the highest Islamic advisory body in Indonesia, got involved. The council judged the video to be blasphemous, and based on this, the prosecution charged Lutpiati.
The video was reportedly filmed in Bali. In Bali, where Hindus and Chinese immigrants live alongside Muslims, consuming pork itself is not illegal. However, the council appears to have judged it as blasphemy because she said "Bismillah" and posted the video on social media.
Lutpiati said she was deeply shocked after the sentencing. In a media interview, she stated, "I know I was wrong, but I really did not expect to receive such a punishment." Local media reported that she might appeal the verdict.
Islam strictly prohibits eating pork. Since 87% of Indonesia's population is Muslim, it is effectively an Islamic country. Therefore, posting a video of eating pork on social media can be punished as an act of insulting the Islamic religion.
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