JAKARTA, Indonesia – Seven churches in Cianjur, West Java, on Tuesday (June 3rd) filed complaints with the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) about a series of church forced closures, The Jakarta Post reported.

The Cianjur government forcibly closed seven area churches between December 2013 and January 2014, despite some operating there legally since 1977, the congregations, grouped under the Cianjur Churches Union, claimed.

"We feel our right to religious freedom has been severely limited because the seven congregations represented here today no longer have places to worship," said Oferlin Hia, spokesman and priest of Cianjur's New Testament Protestant Church (GKPB).

Muslim groups such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and Islam Reformists Movement (GARIS) have intimidated Christian worshippers into praying at their homes and even a restaurant, the complainants allege.

Komnas HAM said it would look into the case.