Indonesia: Gafatar Leaders Deny Treason, Blasphemy Charges in Court

Three leaders of an Indonesian spiritual movement known as Gerakan Fajar Nusantara – or the Gafatar community – are standing trial in East Jakarta on charges of blasphemy and treason.

Leader Ahmad Musadeq, his son Andry Cahya, and Mahful Muis Tumanurung appeared in court most recently on Monday, the 24th session in their ongoing trial. Prosecutors are seeking 12-year prison sentences for Musadeq and Tumanurung and a 10-year sentence for Cahya.

The longer terms are sought for two of the defendants because they were convicted of blasphemy in 2006 for establishing the Al-Qiyadah al-Islamiyah movement. Musadeq claimed to be a prophet in the movement that combined tenets of Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

The Indonesian Ulema Council previously described Gafatar as a reincarnation of Al-Qiyadah al-Islamiyah.

Investigators have gathered all the required pieces of evidence to constitute the blasphemy and treason allegations against the defendants, prosecutor Abdul Rauf said.

Through testimony from 50 witnesses throughout the court sessions, prosecutors found evidence that Gafatar had established a state-like structure which consisted of president, vice president or governor, he said. Prosecutors presented an organizational chart for Gafatar where Cahya was listed as president, Tumanurung as vice president and Musadeq as spiritual leader.

“They all had been sworn in so that constitutes treason, while Gafatar’s synchronization of three religions constitutes blasphemy,” Rauf said.

Gafatar was founded in 2011 but never received the necessary permit from Indonesia’s Home Ministry to register as a formal organization.

Its mission was to “strengthen solidarity, and unity” among elements of Indonesian society and to “foster mutual understanding and cooperation among those concerned with peace and prosperity in the world,” according to one of the few documents produced by the group that was viewable online in January 2016.

‘We love this country’

The trio challenged Rauf’s claim that they were blasphemers, taking turns presenting their plea, titled “Millah Abraham’s consistency as the true path of God almighty.”

“It was clear that The Prophet Muhammad was the inheritor and upholder of Millah Abraham’s verses, which lead to the righteous path of God almighty,” Cahya told the court on Feb. 16.

Musadeq denied allegations that their actions were treasonous. He said the swearing-in of committee members was not an effort to overthrow President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s government.

“In fact, we love this country. We recognize the existing administration and we want to take part in developing this country by assuring food security, which is part of President Widodo’s Nawacita,” he said, referring to the president’s nine goals for his administration.

Mahfud questioned why the government had not prosecuted groups who attacked Gafatar’s members.

About 1,000 Gafatar followers were evicted from their compound in Mempawah district in West Kalimantan province after a mob attacked and burned their settlement in January 2016.

The resistance against Gafatar movement started when a woman and her child were reported missing in Yogyakarta on Dec. 31, 2015, and resurfaced 11 days later, alleging they had gone to live with former Gafatar members.

“Why is it that none of the people who evicted us by force, committed arson and looted our assets have been prosecuted?” Mahfud said. “It was very clear that those who evicted us and burned our houses down have been organized.”

About 100 Gafatar members clad in white shirts showed up for a recent court session to show their support for the defendants.

“This is to show our resistance,” Gafatar member Yudi told BenarNews.