DISCREPANCY BETWEEN NORM AND REALITY: VIOLATIONS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN INDONESIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36526/sosioedukasi.v15i3.8058Keywords:
Freedom of Religion and Belief, Violations of Freedom of Religion, The State of Religious Freedom in Indonesia, Discrepancy Between Norms and RealityAbstract
Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) is a constitutional right guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and should be protected through laws and policies that uphold equality and non-discrimination. However, persistent violations of FoRB indicate a significant gap between constitutional guarantees and their implementation. This article examines how inconsistencies in government practices create normative contradictions that contribute to the degradation of religious freedom in Indonesia. Employing a normative legal method combined with an empirical sociological approach, the study analyzes constitutional and statutory provisions concerning FoRB and compares them with patterns of violations occurring in society. The findings reveal that although the constitutional framework provides strong protection for FoRB, contradictory government actions, inconsistent law enforcement, and regulations that are not fully aligned with human rights principles have weakened its implementation. These conditions have enabled discriminatory practices, restrictions on religious activities, and unequal treatment of minority religious groups. The study highlights that the persistence of such normative contradictions not only undermines constitutional supremacy but also threatens social cohesion and democratic governance. This article contributes to the discourse on religious freedom by demonstrating how the gap between legal norms and state practices functions as a structural factor in the continuing decline of FoRB protection in Indonesia.
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