INDONESIA: Christian governor jailed for blasphemy against Islam

The outgoing christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok has been found guilty by an Indonesian court of blasphemy against Islam and has been sentenced to two years in prison.

Reports say Purnama was charged over comments he made regarding what he believed to be the misinterpretation of certain verses of the Quran and during his trial, hundreds of protesters gathered outside calling for the maximum penalty against him.

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While delivering his judgement, Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, the presiding judge, told the court that Purnama was “convincingly guilty of committing blasphemy”.

Purnama has however denied any 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.

 

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