[2][3] He was imprisoned in 2012 for posting comments and images to Facebook that were judged to be "disseminating information aimed at inciting religious hatred or hostility" by the Muaro Sijunjung district court.
[9] On 14 June, the Muaro Sijunjung district court found Aan guilty of "disseminating information aimed at inciting religious hatred or hostility" and sentenced him to two and a half years' imprisonment and a fine of 100 million rupiah (US$10,600).
[12] Amnesty International responded by designating Alexander a prisoner of conscience, describing the sentence as "a serious setback for freedom of expression in Indonesia".
[1] Human Rights Watch stated that Alexander's sentence suggested "a threat to Indonesia's religious minorities" in light of recent attacks by extremists.
[13] The Asian Human Rights Commission also called for Alexander's release, stating that his actions did not "pose a threat to public order" and were covered by freedom of religion.
[18] The Islamic Society Forum, a coalition of far right Islamist groups, stated that the potential five-year sentence was not enough, and that Aan should be executed.