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TechnoratiThree Sunday school teachers accused of “Christianization” were found guilty Thursday by the Indonesian court and sentenced to three years of prison.
Eti Pangesti, Ratna Bangun and Rebekka Zakaria (Photo: Compass Direct)
The women – Rebekka Zakaria, Eti Pangesti, and Ratna Bangun – plan to appeal the conviction.
According to reports, the women were accused of breaking the Child Protection Acts of 2002 – which forbids converting children to another religion – because they had allowed Muslim children to attend a Sunday school program organized for local Christian children in a nearby public elementary school in Indonesia’s West Java province.
Although all the children reportedly had full parental consent to join the program and none of children had changed religion, the women were arrested on May 13 following allegations made by the local chapter of the Indonesian Council of Muslim Clerics (MUI). According to UK-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide, MUI alleged that the women enticed Muslim children to participate in the camp and that they tried to convert the children to Christianity by giving them gifts. The women have since then been incarcerated in the Indramayu Prison.
Since the women’s first trial, Muslim protestors had crowded the courtroom calling for the conviction and even execution of the accused. Sources say the intimidating threats of the protestors and the noisy demonstrations outside the courtroom frightened and reduced some of the witnesses, including the children waiting to testify.
Many threats were made against the judges and the accused, as well. According to reports, leaders and members of the Muslim mob cried out that they would shed their own blood for justice if the women were not found guilty and threatened anyone who supported the women.
According to International Christian Concern’s (ICC) Policy Analyst, Jeremy Sewell, pressure from the radical Muslims, fear of the threats, and concern for the danger of the lives of many might have caused the judges to rule the verdict as guilty.
“These women were accused of breaking the anti-conversion law,” Sewell told the Christian Post.
Such laws, Sewell said, need to be examined and seen by “how much they are really valid when it comes to the freedom to practice religion.”
“If you are not allowed by the government, to change your mind then it’s basically mind control,” he continued. “Anyone who cares for ‘freedom’ should look into anti-conversion laws of countries and seek to get them repealed. Lobby the government and put pressure on them. But the best thing to do is pray for the change.”
Open Doors USA President Dr. Carl Moeller also spoke of the importance of prayer following Thursday’s verdict.
“These women need our prayers and letters of support for this travesty of justice,” said Moeller in a statement released by Open Doors. “That these women were found guilty for simply conducting an approved Christian education program for kids is another example of how Christians suffer for their faith.”
“Join me in praying for their release on appeal.”
