Muslim Cleric Arrested For Allowing Women To Preach, Pray In Mosque

A muslim preacher has been imprisoned on blasphemy and hate speech charges following his decision to allow women to preach and pray beside men in Indonesia.

According to the Brussels Times, the Al-Zaytun Islamic school in the Muslim-majority province of West Java, the most populous in the Southeast Asian archipelago, has drawn criticism from conservative groups for teaching a version of Islam that is incompatible with the Koran.

Panji Gumilang, the boarding school’s headmaster, was arrested on Wednesday after being questioned by authorities, according to national police spokesman Ahmad Ramadhan.

Panji Gumilang faces up to five years in prison for blasphemy, six years for inciting hatred, and ten years for disseminating false information.