Christian Pastor Dedi Saputra, a Former Muslim, Sentenced to Two Years in Prison in Indonesia Over TikTok Posts About Islam

Christian pastor Dedi Saputra, a former Muslim from Indonesia’s Aceh Province, has been sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted over a TikTok video discussing Islam and his conversion to Christianity.

A panel of judges at the Banda Aceh Court handed down the sentence on July 10, 2026, finding Saputra guilty under Indonesia’s laws concerning blasphemy and hate speech. He had been arrested in February and had remained in detention since then.

The case reportedly began after a complaint was filed against Saputra over a TikTok video from his account. In the video, he was responding to a question about his conversion and made comments concerning Muhammad’s marriages before and after his prophethood. The video was later deleted and subsequently circulated in an edited version by another social media user.

Saputra, 31, was serving as a pastor of a small Christian congregation in West Kalimantan when he was arrested. Authorities from his native Aceh Province reportedly detained him before he was transferred to Aceh to face the case.

Prosecutors had sought a four year prison sentence, but the court imposed two years, including time already spent in detention. Reports say prosecutors had not immediately decided whether to accept the ruling or pursue further legal action.

The case has attracted attention among Christian advocacy groups and observers of religious freedom, particularly because of the circumstances surrounding Saputra’s arrest, prosecution, and conviction.

For Dedi Saputra, the case has placed his Christian ministry and personal conversion journey at the centre of a legal battle over religious expression in Indonesia.