November 22, 2011
Despite Indonesia's movement toward democracy, human rights groups say the country continues to violate human rights and allow the targeting of religious minorities, OneNewsNow.com reports. In the Muslim-majority nation, mob violence against religious minorities is common, especially in remote areas. A Human Rights Watch spokeswoman said Indonesia's "dirty little secret" was that it imprisoned political dissidents, such as Filep Karma, who was found guilty of treason in 2004 for raising a pro-independence flag. A court openly mocked Karma's Christian faith and sentenced him to 15 years -- three times the sentence that prosecutors had demanded. Last month, after being granted a brief release from prison to get medical attention, Karma spoke about being ridiculed and severely beaten by prison guards for his faith, adding that democracy in his country was "a lie."
