Comedian questioned by police over ‘insulting and blasphemous’ Netflix special

Indonesian comedian Pandji Pragiwaksono, the first from his country to air a special on Netflix, was questioned by police in Jakarta on Friday following complaints that his material was insulting and blasphemous.

After a seven-hour session at Jakarta's police headquarters, Pragiwaksono emerged, stating he had answered questions "as best as I could" and did not believe he had committed religious blasphemy. Police confirmed he was summoned for clarification but was not named as a suspect nor faced formal charges. "I will just follow the legal process," he added.

His nearly two-and-a-half-hour Netflix show, which premiered on 27 December, features satirical commentary on Indonesian politics, including the recent 2024 election won by Prabowo Subianto, now president of the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation.

Pragiwaksono also criticised Indonesia's two largest Muslim organisations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, for accepting mining concessions from the government during Joko Widodo's presidency. Both organisations had previously denied wrongdoing, asserting the concessions would benefit their members.

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The special has sparked a significant debate across Indonesia, with some accusing the comedian of insulting religious entities and state institutions, while democracy activists have rallied to his defence. Jakarta police spokesman Andaru Rahutomo confirmed they were "clarifying several things based on five police reports."

Two of these reports were filed by individuals claiming to be members of the youth wings of Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah, alleging blasphemy and defamation against their organisations. However, both religious bodies have since stated they have no connection to the individuals listed in the police complaints.

In February 2025, Indonesian police were accused of ‘intimidating’ a punk rock band after they took down an anti-corruption song from streaming platforms.

Sukatani, a punk rock duo from Central Java, issued an apology on social media last week for the song “Bayar, Bayar, Bayar” – ‘Pay, Pay, Pay’ – which called out alleged corruption in the Indonesian police.

Released in 2023, the song accused the police of taking bribes for issuing driving licences, freeing detainees from jail and conducting evictions. “Bayar, Bayar, Bayar” went viral this month and became an anthem of the student protesters who took to the streets against president Prabowo Subianto’s budget cuts and policies.

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"We sincerely apologise to the chief of police and the police institution,” Muhammad Syifa Al Lufti, the band’s guitarist, said. “Actually, I created the song for police officers who violate the rules.”

He urged social media users to delete their recordings of the song and remove all videos featuring the lyrics.

Novi Citra Indriyati, the vocalist, said “if there is a risk in the future, it is no longer the responsibility of the Sukatani band”.