JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s highest Muslim clerical council is to issue an edict, or fatwa, declaring the spreading of fake news un-Islamic, the organisation’s chairman said on Wednesday.

Indonesia has one of the world’s highest number of Facebook and Twitter users, and the biggest Muslim population, and concern is growing that fake news is fuelling religious and ethnic tension.

“We will issue it as soon as possible, because the situation is worrying,” said Maaruf Amin, chairman of the Indonesia Ulema Council.

“Hopefully, at least Muslims won’t be involved anymore in hoaxes.”

The council is not a government or lawmaking body and its fatwas are not legally binding.

The edict is expected before a hotly contested election on Feb. 15 for governor of the capital, Jakarta, with an ethnic Chinese, Christian incumbent running against two Muslim candidates.

Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, or Ahok as he is known, has been embroiled in a blasphemy trial in which he stands accused of insulting the Koran.

 

more:   http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/indonesian-islamic-council-to-issue-fatwa-against-fake-news/42926960

(Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa; Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Robert Birsel)