An Indonesian court has sentenced a woman and digital influencer to two years in prison for using an Islamic prayer in a video on TikTok and other social networks before eating pork, which is forbidden by Islam.
The court in the Muslim-majority city of Palembang on Sumatra island found Lina Mukherjee, 32, guilty of “disseminating information likely to incite hatred against certain individuals and religious groups,” according to the verdict published Tuesday.
The court also sentenced her to pay a fine of 250 million Indonesian rupiah (15,205 euros) or, in case of non-compliance, an additional three months in prison.
The influencer, who has around a million followers across her TikTok, Instagram and YouTube accounts, was arrested in March after a user reported her to police for blasphemy and hate speech, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in Indonesia . in jail.
In the video, Lina, who identifies as Muslim, recites the invocation “bismillah” (“in the name of Allah”) and then begins eating pork cakes “out of curiosity” while acknowledging that she is “violating the pillars of the six” . basic principles” of Islam, the video said.
The consumption of pork is strictly prohibited by the Islamic faith and can be considered blasphemy, as can lightly invoking the name of Allah.
Lina pleaded guilty in court and publicly apologized before the trial began.
After hearing the verdict, Lina told local journalists on Tuesday that she accepted the verdict and stated that in the future she would only produce “fun content that does not offend people.”
Source: DN
