In brief
Ratu Thalisa's case raises important questions about freedom of expression and online speech laws in Indonesia.
An Indonesian TikToker, Ratu Thalisa, has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison after she allegedly “talked” to an image of Jesus on her phone during a livestream. The Muslim transgender influencer, who boasts over 442,000 TikTok followers, was responding to a user’s comment suggesting she should cut her hair to appear more masculine. The court in Medan, Sumatra, found Thalisa guilty of violating a contentious online hate-speech law and imposed a penalty of two years and ten months, claiming her remarks endangered “public order” and “religious harmony.”The sentence has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, which labeled it “a shocking attack on Ratu Thalisa's freedom of expression.” They implored Indonesian authorities to overturn the conviction and revise aspects of the Electronic Information and Transactions (EIT) Law, which has faced criticism for stifling free speech. Usman Hamid, the executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, argued that while hate speech that incites violence should be prohibited, Thalisa's comments did not cross that line.The EIT Law, initially established in 2008 and revised in 2016, aims to protect online users but has often been misused against individuals expressing differing opinions. According to Amnesty International, at least 560 people were prosecuted for exercising their freedom of speech under this law from 2019 to 2024, indicating a broader issue regarding censorship in Indonesia. Thalisa’s sentencing comes amid growing concerns for religious minorities and freedom of expression in the country, where the majority of the population identifies as Muslim. Prosecutors had initially requested a sentence exceeding four years and have appealed the outcome of the trial. The situation remains fluid as Thalisa has seven days to respond to the verdict.
