Ahok blasphemy case ruling on May 9

JAKARTA: A court will rule on the blasphemy case against outgoing Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama on May 9, as his trial drew to a close.

Basuki, better known as Ahok, had appeared in court in the morning yesterday to submit his response to the prosecution’s recommendation that he is guilty of the charge of blasphemy and that he should be sentenced to two years’ probation in lieu of a suspended jail term.

This means that if he commits the same offence during probation, he should serve one year in jail, prose- cutors told the court in their closing arguments last Thursday.

Basuki told the court yesterday that he felt unfairly treated, as he was a victim of slander by Buni Yani, a former lecturer at a private university said to have edited and uploaded a video showing Basuki allegedly making an appeal that was deemed insulting to Islam.

A vital part of Ahok’s statement was allegedly edited out of the video, creating the perception that his remarks were aimed at the Quran, rather than opponents who misquoted Quranic verses to sup- port their political agenda.

“Ahok will not insult Islam, but the daily accusations (at me for doing so) were like German Nazi propaganda,” said Basuki, referring to himself.

The case against Basuki, who is a Christian, involves his meetings with constituents in September last year.