Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s long legal battle against charges that he committed blasphemy against Islam is set to finally come to an end after the sentence hearing tomorrow (at least at the district court level).
Speaking to the media today, Ahok said he hopes that he’ll be found innocent on grounds that there’s insufficient evidence to rule that he committed blasphemy against the Islamic holy book of Quran during a speech he made in Kepulauan Seribu (the Thousand Islands) last year.
“I’m praying. It all depends on the judges’ conscience. It’s proven from the prosecutors’ sentence demand that there was no proof that I blasphemed religion,” Ahok said, as quoted by Kompas.
“I ask God that I be declared innocent. I had no intention [to commit blasphemy].”
Previously, the case prosecutors demanded that Ahok be given a two-year suspended sentence, during which time he can’t commit a crime or he’ll be jailed for a year. Ahok’s lawyers argued that the sentence demand, which some conservatives see as too lenient, is proof that there’s insufficient evidence to jail Ahok for blasphemy.
Hardliners have been pushing for judges to hand Ahok a maximum five years imprisonment, the heaviest sentence that could be given to convicted blasphemers under Indonesia’s Blasphemy Law.
Regardless, Ahok’s alleged blasphemy drove hardline Islamic groups to hold mass protests against the minority Chinese Christian governor on several occasions. Many believe that the religion card Ahok’s political rivals used against him was one of the biggest factors behind his failed reelection bid, despite scoring a very impressive 69% satisfaction rating as the capital’s governor last year.
