A Muslim cleric has been arrested on charges of blasphemy and hate speech in Indonesia, after his decision to allow women to preach and pray beside men sparked a backlash among Muslim -Majority Nation.
Panyi Gumilang, 77, who runs the Al -Zaytun Boarding School in the District of Indramayu in West Java, was arrested on Tuesday, Indonesian National Police Official, Djuhandhani Rahardjo told reporters outside its Criminal Investigation Agency in Jakarta.
In recent post the school, home to roughly 5,000 students has face public backlash over its unorthodox practices like allowing women to pray alongside each other and women to become Imams. Unlike other Islamic Boarding Schools in Indonesia, its prayer sessions do not follow gender segregation, angering conservative groups. ‘Investigations took legal action” Djuhandhani said on Tuesday, (Panyi will be) detained in the Criminal Investigation Agency’s detention facility for 20 days”, he added.
