Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as Ahok, was the first ethnic Chinese Christian to run Indonesia’s capital, and the case was seen as a test of the country’s religious tolerance.

He was accused of insulting Islam by referring to a verse in the Koran during a campaign speech.

Mr Purnama denied blasphemy and in court said he would mount an appeal.

The sentence is harsher than most observers had expected – prosecutors had called for a suspended one-year sentence.

The governor 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 judge told the court.

Riot police outside court

Mr Purnama was accused of blasphemy for comments he made during a pre-election speech last September.

He implied that Islamic leaders were trying to trick voters by using a verse in the Koran to argue that Muslims should not vote for a non-Muslim leader.

His remarks, which were widely shared in an edited video, sparked outrage among religious hardliners.

They staged regular large rallies calling for him to face trial.

Throughout the trial, Mr Purnama denied wrongdoing, but did apologise for his comments nonetheless.

Ahead of the verdict, protesters for and against Mr Purnama had gathered outside the court demanding respectively his acquittal or a long prison sentence.

Disappointed with the eventual verdict, some protesters demanded the outgoing governor to be hanged.

Around 15,000 security personnel from the police and military are providing security at the scene, with riot police and armoured vehicles separating the rival groups.

Mr Purnama became governor after his predecessor, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, was elected president in 2014.

As an ethnic Chinese Indonesian and Christian he is a double minority, and was Jakarta’s first non-Muslim governor for 50 years.

His political success was also seen as a significant development given the violent anti-Chinese riots that occurred in the city in 1998.

Before the blasphemy allegations, he had been widely hailed as a straight-talking politician with a strong anti-corruption stance

But the controversy overshadowed scheduled elections last month.

Despite his enduring popularity with many in Jakarta for his efforts to improve living standards, he lost to conservative Muslim candidate Anies Rasyid Baswedan.

Indonesia is the world’s most-populous Muslim country. About 85% of its population are Muslim, but the country officially respects six religions.

–

Source: BBC

The post Jakarta governor Ahok found guilty of blasphemy appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as Ahok, cried as he denied allegations he insulted Islam.

Mr Purnama is the first non-Muslim governor of Indonesia’s capital in 50 years.

The case is being seen as a test of religious tolerance in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.

The prosecution said Mr Purnama insulted Islam by misusing a Koranic verse which suggests Muslims should not be ruled by non-Muslims, to boost public support ahead of February’s governorship election.

He insisted his comments were aimed at politicians “incorrectly” using a Koranic verse against him, not at the verse itself.

If convicted, he faces a maximum five-year jail sentence. After the short hearing, the trial was adjourned until 20 December.

Rights groups say the authorities have set a dangerous precedent in which a noisy hardline Islamic minority can influence the legal process, says the BBC’s Rebecca Henschke in Jakarta.

What are the allegations?

During campaigning in September, Mr Purnama made a speech where he said Islamic groups using a Koranic verse against him were deceiving voters.

The verse is interpreted by some as prohibiting Muslims from living under the leadership of a non-Muslim.

Islamic groups said he had criticised the Koran and complained to police, who began an investigation. Mr Purnama has repeatedly apologised but denied blasphemy.

His supporters say a widely-circulated video of the event had been edited and subtitled to make it appear he was criticising the verse, rather than those invoking it.

What is the significance of a blasphemy charge?

Although Indonesia’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, the country only recognises six religions and has tough penalties for blasphemy against any of them.

But observers say the laws are sometimes used against religious minorities.

Atheists too have been prosecuted, with one man sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail in 2012 for saying on Facebook that God does not exist.

Is there more to it?

President Widodo has blamed “political actors” for taking advantage of the furore.

The case has benefitted Mr Purnama’s rivals in the election race where he previously seen as the frontrunner.

Some observers say the case shows that Indonesia, historically a moderate Muslim nation, is becoming more radical.

However, Indonesia’s largest Islamic group, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), told its members not to take part in the anti-Ahok rallies.

In 1998, a wave of anti-Chinese sentiment led to mobs looting and burning Chinese-owned shops and houses, leaving more than 1,000 people dead.

Christians represent less than 10% of the country’s 250 million people, and ethnic Chinese about 1%.

–

Source: BBC

The post Jakarta governor weeps at blasphemy trial appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.