30 year old atheist Alex Aan has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison and fined today, Thursday, for posting ‘there is no god’ on Facebook and being critical of Islam. He was found guilty of “deliberately spreading information inciting religious hatred and animosity” under the Electronic Information and Transactions law.
Aan had been indicted with two other charges — persuading others to embrace atheism and blasphemy — and prosecutors had sought a three-and-a-half-year jail term for him but the court dropped these two.
According to the judge, “What he did has caused anxiety to the community and tarnished Islam.”
FYI, Islam’s not a person; Alex Aan is.
What the Indonesian court and government have done is to tarnish humanity itself.
This is not the end of the story – just the beginning.
Alex has to be freed. He has done nothing wrong except express his views.
Write to the Indonesian authorities today and tell them to review the case and free him now. You can find contact details here.
(News via Rafiq Mahmood)
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Rafiq Mahmood
June 15, 2012 at 4:17 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Well said, Maryam.
bcskeptic
June 15, 2012 at 4:44 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Hmmm…. Galileo, Galileo, Galileo… What they’ve done is brought attention to their archaic, inhumane, and ridiculous laws, which will, of course, crumble. Alex Aan is an international hero. Truth, justice, and humanity prevail in the end. It’s only a matter of time.
mikeedwards
June 15, 2012 at 1:01 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
This is disgusting. As if Islam wasn’t doing a good enough job of tarnishing itself. It’s like blaming a flood on someone for spitting in a river.
peterenglish
June 15, 2012 at 3:37 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
“Alex has to be freed. He has done nothing wrong except express his views.”
I agree, but the second sentence should read:
Alex has to be freed. He has done nothing wrong.”
Rafiq Mahmood
June 16, 2012 at 3:28 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Those were indeed his words to me: “I have done nothing wrong.”
sanjaysaxena
June 15, 2012 at 4:35 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Very much wrong has been done with every ‘gr8 person’like him!
Ophelia Benson
June 15, 2012 at 7:50 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Also, CFI-DC (in Washington DC) is protesting in front of the Indonesian embassy next week, on a day to be announced.
http://www.centerforinquiry.net/news/center_for_inquiry_condemns_jailing_of_indonesian_atheist_for_inciting_reli/
Rafiq Mahmood
June 16, 2012 at 3:25 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
By the way, this is what Alex was accused of posting, sharing or linking to.
Muhammad and Hafsa
Enjoy and share around the globe.
We will not be silenced!
Freodin
June 16, 2012 at 10:41 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
Hm… what does Islam say about unbelievers? What kind of feeling do rulings like this raise in the unbelieving communities?
Love? Peace? I don’t think so.
So could, using this law, the whole system of Islam (and whatever other religion you’d like to add) be accuse of “inciting religious hatred and animosity”?
nara
June 19, 2012 at 10:13 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
im a muslim.. a newly devout muslim woman and havent felt happier ..i believe that islam respects every ones opinion and so im against punishing anyone for their opinion ..what some muslims do doesnt represent islam .just as what some christians or anyone does wrong doesnt mean that chistianty or this way of thinking is wrong….
NTKN June 15, 2012 | The Differences of US….. Move US to Think
June 15, 2012 at 12:22 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
[...] 30 year old atheist Alex Aan has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison and fined, Thursday, for posting ‘there is no god’ on Facebook and being critical of Islam. He was found guilty of “deliberately spreading information inciting religious hatred and animosity” under the Electronic Information and Transactions law. According to the judge, “What he did has caused anxiety to the community and tarnished Islam.” http://freethoughtblogs.com/maryamnamazie/2012/06/14/islam-hasnt-been-tarnished-humanity-has/ [...]
Shit that Pissed me off – 6/15 « Grail Diary
June 15, 2012 at 4:06 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
[...] Indonesian Atheist Posts “There is No God” on Facebook and is Sentenced to 2 1/2 Years i… [...]
How dare you not defend Alex! | Maryam Namazie
July 4, 2012 at 11:43 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
[...] a young civil servant, has been sentenced to two and a half years merely for saying there is no god on facebook. The case is being appealed by Islamists who think [...]
14 March 2013: International Day to Defend Apostates and Blasphemers » Maryam Namazie
March 12, 2013 at 10:19 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
[...] Alex Aan, Indonesia: 30 year old atheist, in prison for blasphemy for saying there is no god on Facebook. Sign Petition Here. [...]
Their Ideas On Our Legs… | Back Towards the Locus
March 13, 2013 at 11:46 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
[...] Day to Defend Apostates and Blasphemers. A worthy occasion. As they note, such courageous people as Alex Aan, Hamza Kashgari, Asia Bibi and Saeed Malekpour are enduring jail sentences or awaiting executions [...]
Internationale dag ter verdediging van afvalligen en Godslasteraars | George Knight
March 14, 2013 at 9:39 am (UTC 1) Link to this comment
[...] Alex Aan, Indonesia: 30 year old atheist, in prison for blasphemy for saying there is no god on Facebook. Sign Petition Here. [...]
And think of these … | bobmcgee
March 14, 2013 at 10:09 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
[...] Alex Aan, Indonesia: 30 year old atheist, in prison for blasphemy for saying there is no god on Facebook. Sign Petition Here. [...]
Int’l Day to Defend Apostates and Blasphemers » Black Skeptics
March 27, 2013 at 5:02 pm (UTC 1) Link to this comment
[...] Alex Aan, Indonesia: 30 year old atheist, in prison for blasphemy for saying there is no god on Facebook. Sign Petition Here. [...]