Shock sentence comes after hardline Islamist groups called for Christian official to be jailed for referencing Qur’an verse

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This article is more than 2 years old

Jakarta’s Christian governor has been sentenced to two years in prison after a trial that was widely seen as a measure of religious pluralism in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok, was “found to have legitimately and convincingly conducted a criminal act of blasphemy, and because of that we have imposed two years of imprisonment”, the head judge, Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, told the court.

“As part of a religious society, the defendant should be careful to not use words with negative connotations regarding the symbols of religions, including the religion of the defendant himself.”

Jakarta governor Ahok's blasphemy trial: all you need to know Read more

Another judge, Abdul Rosyad, said reasons for the stiff sentence included that “the defendant did not feel guilt, the defendant’s act has caused anxiety and hurt Muslims”.

After the verdict was read out, Ahok was taken in an armoured police van to a prison in Cipinang, East Jakarta.

Hundreds of supporters wearing his signature red and blue check print gathered outside the jail on Tuesday afternoon. A candelit vigil was planned for the evening.

Photos posted on social media showed prison officials posing with the convicted governor.

Ahok’s lawyer said he would appeal against the sentence. It was unclear whether he would be released once the legal challenge was under way.

The blasphemy charge related to Ahok’s reference to a passage of the Qur’an during his re-election campaign in September, which hardline Islamist groups said amounted to insulting the holy book.



He insinuated that his opponents had used a Qur’anic verse to trick people into voting against him. An edited version of the speech went viral, sparking outrage. Ahok, a Christian with ethnic Chinese roots, is a “double minority” in Indonesia.

A series of protests against him drew hundreds of thousands on to the streets of the capital late last year. On Tuesday, hundreds of members of hardline Islamist groups gathered outside the south Jakarta courtroom amid a heavy security presence, with many calling for Ahok to receive the maximum penalty.

As news of the sentence emerged, some protesters shouted “God is greatest”.

Samantha Hawley (@samanthahawley) Some Protestors not happy with 2 year sentence for Ahok. Wanted 5 pic.twitter.com/cuYdlD3XGq

The government has been criticised for not doing enough to protect religious minorities, but President Joko Widodo, an ally of Ahok’s, has called for opponents to respect the legal process.

Thousands of police have been deployed in the capital to prevent clashes between Ahok supporters and opponents. “Both groups will have the opportunity to demonstrate but we are taking steps to prevent clashes,” said the national police spokesman, Setyo Wasisto.

Ahok lost his bid for re-election in an April run-off to a Muslim rival, Anies Baswedan, who is scheduled to take over in October. The vote was the most divisive and religiously charged in recent years.

With Ahok in detention, Jakarta’s deputy governor, Djarot Saiful Hidayat, will assume the role of acting governor.

The decision to jail Ahok surprised some observers because prosecutors had called for a conditional sentence of two years’ probation.



They also dropped their demand that Ahok be charged with blasphemy under article 156a of the criminal code, which carries a maximum five-year sentence, instead recommending that he face a lesser charge.



Andreas Harsono, an Indonesia researcher at Human Rights Watch, said the verdict was “a sad day for Indonesia”.



“Ahok’s is the biggest blasphemy case in the history of Indonesia. He is the governor of Indonesia’s largest city, an ally of the president. If he can be sent to jail, what could happen to others?” he said.

Harsono said more than 100 Indonesians had been convicted of blasphemy in the past decade, with acquittals in such cases extremely rare.

Todung Mulya Lubis, a human rights lawyer who defended the Bali Nine duo Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, said it was worrying that one judge cited the leader of the hardline Islamic Defenders Front as an expert in the judgment.

“[The group’s leader] Rizieq Shihab cannot be considered as an expert because he openly, publicly accused Ahok of blasphemy, so he is not an independent, neutral expert any more. But the judges mentioned his name in their judgment and I thought this is not correct.

“The judges also talked about experts from [the Islamic organisation] Majelis Ulama Indonesia. With all respect, I don’t think they can be considered as experts because they had taken sides long before the trial.”

Lubis said the verdict set a “bad precedent”, adding: “Religion is a private matter … so when you put it in the criminal code it can be used by people to discredit and suppress others. This is the problem with the blasphemy law. This is a very sad moment for us.”</s>Anger as Indonesian Christian Governor Is Jailed for Blasphemy Against Islam

The governor of Jakarta, popularly known as "Ahok", was jailed for two years for allegedly making anti-Quran comments.</s>Outgoing Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Purnama sentenced to two years in jail over comments he made during political campaign.

An Indonesian court has found Jakarta's outgoing Christian governor guilty of blasphemy against Islam.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, was sentenced to two years in prison on Tuesday in a south Jakarta courtroom over comments he made regarding what he believed to be the misinterpretation of certain verses of the Quran.

As hundreds of protesters gathered outside calling for the maximum penalty to be given, Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, the presiding judge, told the court that Purnama was "convincingly guilty of committing blasphemy".

Purnama has denied wrongdoing, though he apologised for comments he made last year criticising his opponents' use of the Quran in political campaigning suggesting to Muslim constituents that they cannot be governed by a person of another faith.

Purnama lost his bid for re-election in an April runoff - after the most divisive and religiously charged election in recent years - to a Muslim rival, Anies Baswedan.

Thousands of police were deployed in Jakarta on Tuesday in case clashes broke out between Purnama's supporters and opponents who are demanding he be dismissed and jailed.

His supporters, for their part, delivered thousands of red and white balloons to City Hall in advance of the court session.

"Both groups will have the opportunity to demonstrate, but we are taking steps to prevent clashes," said Setyo Wasisto, the national police spokesman.

Prosecutors had called for a suspended one-year jail sentence for Purnama on charges of hate speech.

His opponents believe that is too light. The maximum sentence is four years in prison.

The Indonesian government has been criticised by rights groups for not doing enough to protect religious minorities.

However, President Joko Widodo, an ally of Purnama, has urged restraint over the trial and called for all sides to respect the legal process.</s>Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, commonly known as Ahok, has been sentenced to two years in prison, after being found guilty of blasphemy in a trial seen as a test of Indonesia's religious tolerance.

In April, prosecutors called for the blasphemy counts to be dropped in exchange for a lesser charge of "spreading hate," but the judges appear to have ignored that recommendation.

The controversial Chinese Christian politician was put on trial in December over accusations that he insulted Islam while campaigning to retain his role. The Jakarta governor denied the charges.

Ahok quoted a verse from the Quran to prove to his supporters that there were no restrictions on Muslims voting for a non-Muslim politician.

Since an edited video of his remarks was released, hundreds of thousands of Muslim Indonesians protested against him on the streets of Jakarta, with many calling for his jailing

Roads near the Agriculture Ministry where the verdict was due to be delivered were closed from Monday evening in preparation, local media reported. The verdict comes less than a month after Ahok lost his bid for re-election as Jakarta governor , a result some experts attributed to his ongoing trial. Muslim protesters marched on Jakarta's governor's office on Friday, November 4. Tens of thousands of Muslims descended upon the Indonesian capital demanding Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama -- commonly known as Ahok -- be prosecuted on accusations that he committed blasphemy. An estimated 200,000 people converged on the center of the Indonesian capital to demand the arrest of its minority-Christian governor on November 4. Muslim leaders broadcast their message as they march past Jakarta's governor's office on November 4. Indonesian riot police were on standby in the compound of the governor's office on November 4. Protesters sat atop a speaker system during the demonstration on November 4. Indonesian policewomen stood guard during the protest outside Jakarta's City Hall on November 4. Female Muslim protesters marched outside the governor's office on November 4. The march continued toward the presidential palace on November 4. He was defeated by former Indonesian education and culture minister Anies Baswedan, a Muslim, after a campaign riven by religious tensions. On the day of the election, the Jakarta Post editorial board described the campaign as the "dirtiest, most polarizing and divisive" ever seen in Indonesia.</s>In April, prosecutors called for the blasphemy counts to be dropped in exchange for a lesser charge of "spreading hate," but the judges appear to have ignored that recommendation.

The controversial Chinese Christian politician was put on trial in December over accusations that he insulted Islam while campaigning to retain his role. The Jakarta governor denied the charges.

Almost no one who has been charged under the blasphemy law has ever escaped conviction, associate professor of Indonesian politics at the Australian National University Greg Fealy told CNN.

"The blasphemy law has really been a blight on the rule of law and democracy in Indonesia for decades," he said, adding that "the fact that Ahok was charged at all was really a product of massive street demonstrations that frightened the government into acting."

In November, Ahok quoted a verse from the Quran to prove to his supporters that there were no restrictions on Muslims voting for a non-Muslim politician. Since an edited video of his remarks was released, hundreds of thousands of Muslim Indonesians protested against him on the streets of Jakarta, with many calling for his jailing Muslim protesters marched on Jakarta's governor's office on Friday, November 4. Tens of thousands of Muslims descended upon the Indonesian capital demanding Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama -- commonly known as Ahok -- be prosecuted on accusations that he committed blasphemy. An estimated 200,000 people converged on the center of the Indonesian capital to demand the arrest of its minority-Christian governor on November 4. Muslim leaders broadcast their message as they march past Jakarta's governor's office on November 4. Indonesian riot police were on standby in the compound of the governor's office on November 4. Protesters sat atop a speaker system during the demonstration on November 4. Indonesian policewomen stood guard during the protest outside Jakarta's City Hall on November 4. Female Muslim protesters marched outside the governor's office on November 4. The march continued toward the presidential palace on November 4. Roads near the Agriculture Ministry where the verdict was due to be delivered were closed from Monday evening in preparation, local media reported. The verdict comes less than a month after Ahok lost his bid for re-election as Jakarta governor , a result some experts attributed to his ongoing trial. As well as being a minority ethnic Chinese Indonesian, the outgoing governor is also a Christian. He was defeated by former Indonesian education and culture minister Anies Baswedan, a Muslim, after a campaign riven by religious tensions. On the day of the election, the Jakarta Post editorial board described the campaign as the "dirtiest, most polarizing and divisive" ever seen in Indonesia. Fealy said Ahok's conviction was a blow for religious tolerance in Indonesia. "We must acknowledge that Ahok was always a special case ... (but) if you were a non-Muslim and you were considering a career in public life, you're probably more likely to think twice about that," he said.</s>An Indonesian court has found Jakarta’s outgoing Christian governor guilty of blasphemy against Islam.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, was sentenced to two years in prison on Tuesday in a south Jakarta courtroom over comments he made regarding what he believed to be the misinterpretation of certain verses of the Quran.

As hundreds of protesters gathered outside calling for the maximum penalty to be given, Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, the presiding judge, told the court that Purnama was “convincingly guilty of committing blasphemy”.

Purnama has denied wrongdoing, though he apologised for comments he made last year criticising his opponents’ use of the Quran in political campaigning suggesting to Muslim constituents that they cannot be governed by a person of another faith.

Purnama lost his bid for re-election in an April runoff – after the most divisive and religiously charged election in recent years – to a Muslim rival, Anies Baswedan.

Thousands of police were deployed in Jakarta on Tuesday in case clashes broke out between Purnama’s supporters and opponents who are demanding he be dismissed and jailed.

His supporters, for their part, delivered thousands of red and white balloons to City Hall in advance of the court session.

“Both groups will have the opportunity to demonstrate, but we are taking steps to prevent clashes,” said Setyo Wasisto, the national police spokesman.

Prosecutors had called for a suspended one-year jail sentence for Purnama on charges of hate speech.

His opponents believe that is too light. The maximum sentence is four years in prison.

The Indonesian government has been criticised by rights groups for not doing enough to protect religious minorities.

However, President Joko Widodo, an ally of Purnama, has urged restraint over the trial and called for all sides to respect the legal process.

Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen, reporting from Jakarta on Sunday, said critics of Puranama celebrated outside the courthouse following the sentencing, which has been harsher than expected.

 “Of course, a lot of people in Indonesia are going to question this verdict,” she said.

“They are going to wonder what kind of precedent this will set for other cases, how easy it will be to [bring]blasphemy charges against other opponents, especially if they happen to be from a minority in the country.”

She said Purnama was likely to be detained immediately, adding that the verdict perhaps makes it harder for religious minorities to run for office in the future.

“It will make it difficult to hold speeches,” Al Jazeera’s Vaessen said.

“People will have to be more careful over the wording they use, because apparently it’s quite easy to run the risk of being accused and getting a verdict of blasphemy now.”</s>JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian court on Tuesday sentenced the minority Christian governor of Jakarta to two years in prison for blaspheming the Quran, a shock decision that undermines the country’s reputation for practicing a moderate form of Islam.

The five-judge panel said Gov. Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama was “convincingly proven guilty of blasphemy” and ordered his arrest. However Ahok immediately announced he would appeal the guilty verdict and sentence.

Outside the court in north Jakarta, supporters of Ahok wept and hugged each other amid shouts of jubilation from members of conservative Islamic groups.

The lead judge said the trial was a purely criminal one and the court disagreed that there were political aspects to the case.

The blasphemy accusation against Ahok was a decisive factor in his defeat to a Muslim candidate in last month’s election for Jakarta governor. It sparked massive anti-Ahok protests in the city, boosting hard-line Islamic groups that said it would be a sin for Muslims to vote for a non-Muslim.

The two-year prison sentence was a surprise outcome after prosecutors had recommended two years of probation.

The maximum sentence for blasphemy in Muslim-majority Indonesia is five years in prison.

The lead judge, Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, said Ahok’s comment during the election campaign that people were being deceived if they believed the Quran forbids Muslims from voting for non-Muslims had degraded and insulted Islam.

“As part of a religious society, the defendant should be careful to not use words with negative connotations regarding the symbols of religions including the religion of the defendant himself,” he said.</s>Jakarta’s Christian governor jailed for two years for blasphemy

Jakarta's Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, reacts inside the courtroom during his blasphemy trial at the auditorium of the Agriculture Ministry, in Jakarta, Indonesia, April 11, 2017. REUTERS/BeawihartaJAKARTA, May 9 — Jakarta’s Christian governor was jailed for two years today after being found guilty of committing blasphemy, capping a saga seen as a test of religious tolerance in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.

Islamic hardliners outside the Jakarta court cheered and shouted “God is greatest!” as news came through that Basuki Tjahaja Purnama was to be sent to prison, a shock decision after prosecutors recommended only two years probation.

Purnama was hauled into court last year to face trial for allegedly insulting Islam while campaigning for re-election, in a case critics said was politically motivated.

The trial came after a series of major protests against the leader, known by his nickname Ahok, in the capital that drew hundreds of thousands onto the streets.

His once unassailable opinion poll lead shrank amid the controversy and he lost the race to lead Jakarta last month to a Muslim challenger, a result that fuelled fears of Indonesia’s moderate brand of Islam coming under threat from increasingly influential radicals.

The five-judge panel at the Jakarta court found Purnama guilty of blasphemy and jailed him for two years.

Announcing the verdict, presiding judge Dwiarso Budi Santiarto said Purnama was “convincingly guilty of committing blasphemy and is sentenced to two years in prison” and ordered him to be detained.

Another judge, Abdul Rosyad, said reasons for the stiff sentence included that “the defendant didn’t feel guilt, the defendant’s act has caused anxiety and hurt Muslims”.

Purnama said he would appeal. Blasphemy carries a maximum jail term of five years in Indonesia.

The controversy began in September when Purnama, known for his outspoken style, offended Muslims after he quoted a passage from the Quran during his re-election campaign.

He insinuated that his opponents had used a Quranic verse to trick people into voting against him.

An edited version of his speech went viral online, sparking outrage.

Before the blasphemy controversy erupted, Purnama enjoyed a large lead in opinion polls due to his determination to clean up traffic-clogged, polluted Jakarta.

The trial started in December and dragged on for months, with both the prosecution and defence calling more than 40 witnesses. Purnama’s team have accused the prosecution of calling biased witnesses, saying that many were not even present when the alleged blasphemy took place.

The legislation was rarely used during the 32-year rule of strongman Suharto, but in recent years it has been exploited to persecute minorities, rights groups say. — AFP</s>An Indonesian court has sentenced Jakarta's governor to two years in prison for blasphemy.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, said he will appeal the decision.

The Christian politician in the world's most populous Muslim country was accused of blasphemy during his re-election campaign last year when a video surfaced of him telling voters they were being deceived if they believed a specific verse in the Quran prohibited Muslims from electing a non-Muslim as leader.

Purnama's popularity plummeted after the charges, and he eventually lost the election in a runoff vote last month.</s>A court in Indonesia has sentenced the capital's Christian governor to two years in prison for blasphemy against Islam, in a decision that has cheered Muslim conservatives and crushed the hopes of advocates of a more pluralistic and tolerant path for their nation.

Jakarta Gov. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, nicknamed "Ahok", had not been expected to do time in jail, as prosecutors had sought only a suspended sentence.

But in Indonesia, few accused of blasphemy walk free. Reuters reports that Ahok was taken to a prison in east Jakarta where, according to his lawyer Tommy Sihotang, he would remain "despite his appeal process unless a higher court suspended it."

"This case is not about Ahok," says Andreas Harsono, a Jakarta-based researcher for Human Rights Watch. "This case is about the future of Indonesia. This is a sad day for equality among citizens in Indonesia."

The blasphemy charges relate to comments Ahok made last September. He told a group of fishermen that politicians who tell them that the Quran forbids voting for non-Muslims are lying to them.

"As governor, as a public officer," Judge Abdul Rosyad said Tuesday "the defendant should have known that religion is a sensitive issue so he should have avoided talking about religion."

Ahok was widely praised for his work in tackling Jakarta's snarled traffic and chronic urban flooding, since replacing his predecessor, now-President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in 2014.

But the blasphemy case against hobbled Ahok's bid for re-election. He was defeated last month in a runoff vote against Muslim candidate and former academic Anies Baswedan.

Critics see Ahok's fate as tied to a prolonged decline in religious tolerance in Indonesia. With that decline, Harsono says, has come "a rise of conservative forces which use Islam to advocate their political interests."

The nation's main clerical group, the Indonesian Ulema Council, issued a fatwa, or religious edict, last October accusing Ahok of blasphemy. Prosecutors later cited the fatwa in their indictment of Ahok. Critics point out that religious edicts have no bearing on Indonesia's laws.

Islamist groups orchestrated several mass protests against Ahok that convulsed the capital's streets. On Monday, Jokowi named the pan-Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir as being behind the protests and ordered their local arm disbanded.

Ahok's sentence bodes ill for Jokowi, whose term as president will end in 2019. "Jokowi is very likely," Harsono predicts, to be "accused of being the ally of a blasphemer."
Former Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, popularly known as "Ahok", is found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to two years in prison. The accusation that he insulted the Quran sparked large protests last November.