JAKARTA, April 22 -- An Indonesian court dismissed yesterday a lawsuit against Culture Minister Fadli Zon for having publicly denied that mass rapes occurred during deadly riots in 1998 targeting mostly ethnic Chinese in the country.

In the unrest sparked by an economic crisis and anger over corruption, some protesters had turned on Chinese Indonesians, stereotyped as wealthy traders or financiers.

Hundreds of Chinese-owned homes and businesses were looted and razed as rape squads purportedly led by army thugs roamed Jakarta's streets. A fact-finding report found at least 52 alleged cases of rape in the unrest.

Last year, in an interview with local media outlet IDN Times, Fadli said: "Was there really mass rape? Who says so? There's no...