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| Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja |
The governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, was defeated last month in an election in which the blasphemy case, and religion, became a major issue.
Blasphemy is a crime in Indonesia, a secular democracy with the world’s largest Muslim population.
The sentence was harsher than what prosecutors had asked for. They had recommended a sentence of two years’ probation on a lesser charge, which would have spared Mr. Basuki prison time.
Mr. Basuki told reporters that he would appeal the ruling.
Mr. Basuki became governor of Jakarta, the capital, in 2014 when his predecessor, Joko Widodo, became president. Mr. Basuki, known as Ahok, was only the city’s second non-Muslim governor and had hoped to become its first directly elected non-Muslim leader.
He had been leading in the polls last year, but in September his campaign faltered when he tried to address attacks from Muslim hard-liners who argued that the Quran forbade Muslims from voting for a non-Muslim. Mr. Basuki said those making that argument were misleading Muslims, a statement that was interpreted by some as insulting the Quran.
Muslim groups organized mass rallies against him, demanding that he be jailed for blasphemy.
His defeat last month was seen as a sign of the increasing power of Muslim conservatives, who have pressed for the adoption of Islamic law, or Shariah, throughout the archipelago.
Indonesia has more than 190 million Muslims and smaller numbers of Christians, Hindus and Buddhists among its population of 250 million.
Source: The New York Times, Joe Cochrane, May 9, 2017
Ahok Found Guilty of Blasphemy, Sentenced to Two Years in Prison
Jakarta. The North Jakarta District Court found incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama guilty of blasphemy and sentenced him to two years in prison on Tuesday morning (09/05).
A team of judges, led by Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, announced the court's verdict of the highly divisive, months-long blasphemy hearing at a converted auditorium at the Agriculture Ministry's headquarters in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.
The judges rejected Ahok's defense, saying the governor's conduct was in no way relative to national unity.
Ahok, whose term as the capital's governor is set to conclude in October, said he will soon appeal the court's findings.
"How will you respond?" Judge Dwiarso asked the governor and his legal counsel after reading the court's verdict.
"We will appeal," Ahok said.
Meanwhile, state prosecutor Ali Mukartono said he respects the court's verdict, but will prepare for the defense's impending appeal.
"We honor the verdict from the judges. We will determine our stance according to the law," Ali said.
Judge Dwiarso instructed Ahok to file his appeal with the court’s registrar.
"Although you have appealed, you still have to register with the court and sign the certificate [of appeal]. The court is hereby concluded and closed," Dwiarso said.
Ahok's blasphemy trial has become a litmus test for tolerance in the diverse country.
Prosecutors earlier in December indicted Ahok on alternative charges of blasphemy and hate speech, which respectively carry a maximum penalty of five and four years of imprisonment.
However, North Jakarta District Court prosecutors last month demanded two years probation with a possible one-year jail term for Ahok, downgrading the charge against him, who had been facing blasphemy charges since November last year.
Some analysts have said that Ahok's political rivals, namely former education minister Anies Baswedan, have used the embattled governor's blasphemy case as political fodder to drive public sentiment against the ethnic Chinese and Christian governor. On April 19, Anies bested Ahok in Jakarta's gubernatorial run-off election, and is set to take office in October.
Ahok was immediately taken into custody after the passing of the court's verdict.
Source: The Jakarta Globe, Anselmus Bata & Bayu Marhaenjati, May 9, 2017
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