JAKARTA, RAKYAT NEWS – Amnesty International Indonesia has strongly condemned the violent dispersal and destruction of a Christian prayer house in Padang, West Sumatra. Deputy Director Wirya Adiwena called on authorities to urgently investigate the attack and prosecute those responsible, highlighting the incident as a disturbing reflection of the government’s failure to protect religious freedom.

“The use of violence and hate against people of different faiths, especially when children are targeted, shows the alarming weakness of state protection for religious practices in Indonesia,” said Adiwena. “This is a dark snapshot of the state of religious tolerance in the country. The perpetrators must be brought to justice without delay.”

The incident in Padang occurred just a month after a similar case in Sukabumi, where a Christian student retreat was attacked and shut down on June 27. Amnesty International sees the recurrence of such events as evidence of the government’s lack of seriousness in protecting the religious rights of its citizens, sending a dangerous message that hate crimes can go unpunished.

Amnesty also criticized the continued enforcement of discriminatory regulations, such as the Joint Ministerial Decree No. 9 and 8 of 2006, which are frequently used to justify restrictions on minority religious practices. These policies, they argue, enable systemic discrimination against communities whose beliefs differ from the mainstream.

“The state must act decisively—arrest and prosecute those responsible for religiously motivated violence in both Padang and Sukabumi. Repeal policies that legitimize discrimination. The central government must ensure that law enforcement responds swiftly in such cases to protect vulnerable groups, especially children, from fear, intimidation, and violence during worship,” said Adiwena.