Indonesia's Constitutional Court declared the government's tax amnesty program as "constitutional". In July 2016 a group of legal activists had filed for a judicial review of the central government's tax amnesty program on claims that the program would turn money laundering into a legal practice, would protect criminals, would teach Indonesian citizens not to pay taxes, and would generally constitute an unfair program from a social point of view. The court rejected these arguments.

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Today (13/12) the first day of incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Cahaya Purnama's blasphemy trial took place at the Central Jakarta District Court. During this first session the prosecution team explained how Ahok allegedly violated Article 156a of the Criminal Code through the content of a speech in Jakarta's Thousand Islands district in late September. Meanwhile, defendant Ahok and his lawyer delivered a note of objection.

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During his state visit to India, Indonesian President Joko Widodo signed three memoranda of understanding. Widodo is on a three-day visit to India (12-13 December) and Iran (14 December) to meet political and corporate leaders and to enhance business and trade relations with the two countries. Indonesia's seventh president is accompanied by Darmin Nasution (Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs), Pratikno (State Secretary), and Thomas Lembong (Chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board, or BKPM).

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The International Energy Agency (IEA) says worldwide demand for coal will not grow significantly over the next five years. It sees worldwide coal demand in 2021 roughly at the same level as in 2014. In a report published on Monday (12/12) the agency says it detects rising demand for renewable energy sources (at the expense of coal) in Europe and North America, while in China coal consumption is also expected to stagnate. However, the IEA believes that coal will remain the most important energy source as it is cheap and easy to produce.

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