Human Rights Watch has implored Indonesian President Joko Widodo to tackle an "upsurge in discrimination against religious and sexual minorities" in the Southeast Asian nation.

In a letter sent on Wednesday, the group urged the recently re-elected president to better protect "the many minority and other marginalised populations" around Indonesia, beginning with better protecting freedom of religion.
"Growing religious intolerance is a huge public concern in Indonesia ... [The country] is experiencing a rise of intolerant Islamism, which has grown since the fall of President Suharto in 1998," the letter said.

SBS - Rights group warns of 'rise of intolerant Islamism' in Indonesia