Indonesia
Jakarta
This screengrab, with no time or location provided, shows the atmosphere during The Sounds Project music festival held Aug. 7-9, 2026, at Ecovention & Ecopark Ancol in North Jakarta, Indonesia. (Instagram/@thesoundsproject)
An offer of free alcohol in exchange for reciting a Quran verse at a North Jakarta music festival has sparked public outrage and a police investigation over alleged blasphemy.A video circulating widely on social media showed a quiz at alcoholic beverage brand Newport’s booth at The Sounds Project music festival in Ancol on Aug. 9, during which a visitor challenged another attendee to recite a Quranic surah in exchange for a free bottle of alcohol, which is haram, or forbidden by Islamic law.
The incident drew condemnation from Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), lawmakers and religious affairs officials over the use of a religious practice to promote an alcoholic beverage.
