Basuki found guilty of blasphemy – Jakarta’s governor jailed

[Devil Soul]

Basuki found guilty of blasphemy – Jakarta’s governor jailed

Jakarta’s Christian governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (bottom left), popularly known as Ahok, takes his seat in front of judges in a courtroom for his verdict and sentence in his blasphemy trial in Jakarta on May 9. (AFP)

JAKARTA, May 9, (Agencies): Jakarta’s Christian governor was jailed for two years Tuesday after being found guilty of blasphemy, in a shock decision that has stoked concerns over rising religious intolerance in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation. Islamic hardliners outside the Jakarta court shouted “God is greatest!” as news came through that Basuki Tjahaja Purnama would be sent to prison for insulting Islam, a surprisingly harsh punishment after prosecutors recommended only probation. Purnama, Jakarta’s first non-Muslim governor for half a century and its first ethnic Chinese leader, looked calm when the verdict was announced and said he would appeal, as some of his supporters in court burst into tears. He was immediately transferred to jail and authorities said his deputy would take over running Jakarta for the final few months of his term.

Facility

Hundreds of his supporters descended on the prison shouting “Free Ahok” — Purnama’s nickname — and shook the gate of the facility. The 50-year-old was hauled into court last year to face trial on charges of insulting the Holy Quran while campaigning for re-election, after the blasphemy accusations sparked a series of mass protests in Jakarta spearheaded by radical groups and encouraged by his rivals. Tuesday’s jail sentence and his loss last month to a Muslim challenger in the Jakarta vote, which he had once been favourite to win, has fuelled fears that hardliners are growing increasingly influential and that the country’s much-vaunted tolerant brand of Islam is under threat. “It’s another big step in the slow decline of religious freedom in Indonesia,” said Andreas Harsono, Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch, after Purnama was jailed. “If someone of that political stature can be charged and sent to prison, what will happen to others?”

Attacks

Indonesia, 90 percent of whose 255 million people are Muslim, has a long tradition of pluralistic values and is home to substantial populations of Christians, Hindus and Buddhists. But there has been a rise in attacks on minorities in recent years. The five-judge panel at the Jakarta court found Purnama guilty of blasphemy after a months-long trial, in a case criticised as politically motivated. 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. Blasphemy carries a maximum jail term of five years in Indonesia but the sentence was a surprise as judges typically follow the recommendation of prosecutors — in this case, they had proposed two years probation. Analysts said the shock verdict could be a result of Purnama’s political rivals putting pressure on the country’s notoriously corrupt judiciary to remove him from power as soon as possible. President Joko Widodo, an ally of the governor, urged people to respect the decision of the court but added that “we must also respect the move by Basuki Tjahaja Purnama to file an appeal”.

 

[AUz]

What did he exactly say? Can somebody explain?

With the video and sources etc?

I feel bad for him.

 

[kankan326]

Their country, their rule. I don't want to say a word about this. But I hope Muslims could do the same when it comes to non-Muslim countries.

 

[70U63]

It is going to be moderate Muslim vs extremist.
However, just like most of the majority Muslim countries, moderate Muslim can't voice to loud as others will see them as anti Muslim.
So good luck...

 

[powastick]

What did he exactly say? Can somebody explain?

With the video and sources etc?

I feel bad for him.

http://www.catatansandk.net/2016/10/ini-isi-surat-al-maidah-ayat-51-yang.html


"Bapak Ibu ndak Bisa memilih Saya. dibohongi pake surah Al-Maidah 51 dan macem-macem itu. Itu hak bapak ibu. Ya, jika Bapak Ibu perasaan tidak bisa pilih nih karena saya takut masuk neraka, dibodohin gitu ya, ya enggak apa-apa?Karena inikan panggilan pribadi bapak-ibu.Program ini jalan saja. Jadi, bapak ibu tak usah merasa enggak enak dalam nuraninya enggak bisa memilih Ahok."
Ah Hok downplayed this verse that use to attack him.

Surah Al-Maidah verse 51
O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.

If Ah Hok is guilty of being Christian, Indonesia needs to purge all Christians there.

 

[Daniel808]

Christian Governor in Indonesia Found Guilty of Blasphemy Against Islam


By JOE COCHRANEMAY 9, 2017

The Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, arriving at court on Monday. Mr. Basuki was only the city’s second non-Muslim governor. CreditPool photo by Bay Ismoyo

Mr. Basuki told reporters that he would appeal, as supporters outside the North Jakarta District Court looked on in shock.

Hard-line Islamic groups opposing Mr. Basuki were seen celebrating.

Mr. Basuki’s 16-point defeat last month was seen as a sign of the increasing power of Islamic conservatives, who have pressed for the adoption of Islamic law, or Shariah, throughout Indonesia.

Shortly after the verdict, the governor was taken to Cipinang Penitentiary in Jakarta, which houses criminals including drug dealers and rapists. Under Indonesia’s procedural code, the governor was not eligible to remain free during his appeal because he had faced a possible sentence of five years or more, according to legal experts.

Mr. Basuki, known as Ahok, became governor of Jakarta, the country’s political, social and economic center, in 2014 when his predecessor and chief political ally, Joko Widodo, became president. Mr. Basuki, who is ethnic Chinese, was only the second non-Muslim governor in the city and had hoped to become its first directly elected non-Muslim leader.

He had been leading in the polls last year, but in September his campaign faltered when he tried to address attacks from Muslim hard-liners who argued that the Quran prohibited Muslims from voting for a non-Muslim. Mr. Basuki said those who made that argument were misleading Muslims, a statement that was interpreted by some as insulting the Quran.

Conservative Muslim groups organized several rallies against him, demanding that he be jailed for blasphemy. Mr. Basuki and his supporters asserted that the protests were orchestrated by his political rivals to sabotage his chances of re-election.

In what appeared to be a show of strength by the national government a day before the verdict, the security minister, Wiranto — who, like many Indonesians, goes by only one name — announced that legal action would be taken to disband the Indonesian chapter of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an ultraconservative Islamic political movement that had participated in some of the protests against Mr. Basuki.

Supporters of Mr. Basuki outside the court in Jakarta on Tuesday. Shortly after the verdict, the governor was taken to a penitentiary to begin serving his two-year sentence. CreditMast Irham/European Pressphoto Agency

Hizb ut-Tahrir rejects democratic governance and says it aims to create a Pan-Islamic state among predominantly Muslim countries, by force if necessary.
The group has been tolerated in Indonesia despite openly rejecting the secular, democratically elected government and the pluralist, multireligious national ideology, known as Pancasila.

Indonesia has more than 190 million Muslims and smaller numbers of Christians, Hindus and Buddhists among its population of 250 million.

The five-judge panel decided unanimously that Mr. Basuki “proved legally and convincingly guilty of committing the criminal act of blasphemy,” the head judge, Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, said in reading the ruling.

The blasphemy law dates from 1965, and only a handful of people were prosecuted under its terms during the next 40 years, according to Andreas Harsono, an Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch.

However, he said, the number of people convicted of blasphemy skyrocketed to 106 from 2004 to 2014, during the presidency of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Mr. Joko’s predecessor. Mr. Yudhoyono’s son was eliminated in the first round of the governor election in February.

Mr. Yudhoyono twice held news conferences to deny that he had orchestrated the protests against Mr. Basuki’s candidacy.

“It’s a sad day, and it’s frightening,” Mr. Andreas said. “If the governor of Indonesia’s largest and most complex city, and who is an ally of the Indonesian president, can be brought down and humiliated this way, what will happen to normal Indonesian citizens?”

Gregory Fealy, an associate professor at Australian National University who specializes in Indonesian politics, said that given Mr. Basuki’s heavy loss in last month’s election and continued demands by hard-line Islamic groups that he be jailed — including at a street rally on Friday — he had little chance of acquittal.

“Indonesian judges tend to err on the side of public opinion,” he said. “That often has a big impact on how they make their decision.”

Some analysts said that the panel of judges had taken reports that Mr. Basuki had slandered Islam as a personal insult — rather than looking at the legal merits of the case — and noted that during the reading of the verdict one judge had emotionally recited the Quran verse that the governor was convicted of insulting.

Douglas Ramage, managing director for Indonesia of Bower Group Asia, an investment advisory firm, said that foreign companies might delay investments in the country until after the presidential election in 2019, when Mr. Joko will face challenges from opposition parties that were accused of helping to topple Mr. Basuki.

“It introduces what no investor wants to see in any country, and that’s volatility and increased political uncertainty,” Mr. Ramage said. “This verdict was not expected; the prosecution had asked for probation.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/09/...uki-tjahaja-purnama-blasphemy-islam.html?_r=0

@AUz Blue bold section

 

[Daniel808]

He build Daan mogot Mosque too, when he is in office.
Even his adoptive parent is from moslem family.

Daan Mogot Mosque

 

[Mista]

What a joke. Reminds me again how religion is dominating politics in this region.

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

?????

So we have to be pluralistic in muslim indonesia and you in india elect saffron clowns in India?

I don't think so!!!

If muslim minorities are harassed then muslim majority countries should look to make an example of haram culture snd minorities

Why should you be? Pakistan has nothing pluraristic to begin with. You guys have killed all diversity...

Indonesia on the other hand is still pluraristic with significant minorities, plus even Muslims are proud of their ancient Hindu/ Buddhist past unlike some weirdos on my west...

And yes you should return to Pakistan.

 

[Mista]

He's arguably the best governor in Jakarta. He did more in half of his term than his predecessors.

https://www.quora.com/What-are-some...ng-his-two-year-tenure-as-Governor-of-Jakarta

That's some level of transparency he imposed on himself and his officials, a rare trait in Indonesian politics.

 

[Offshore]

He's arguably the best governor in Jakarta. He did more in half of his term than his predecessors.

https://www.quora.com/What-are-some...ng-his-two-year-tenure-as-Governor-of-Jakarta

That's some level of transparency he imposed on himself and his officials, a rare trait in Indonesian politics.

He is remind me of LKY...
He just lack of power, where as LKY hold absolute power.
I can't imagine how he will govern Indonesia if he hold absolute power..
Fortunately, he is gone now.. strong indonesia is bad for Singapore

 

[pr1v4t33r]

What did he exactly say? Can somebody explain? With the video and sources etc? I feel bad for him.

He said something that hurt a lot of muslims in Indonesia. In campaign period he publicly used the word "lied" and fooled" by Al-maidah :51 (verse in Al-quran that urged muslims not to take non muslim as their leaders). He should just stick to his programs and everything would be smooth for him. Now he is in jail.

 

[hussain0216]

Why should you be? Pakistan has nothing pluraristic to begin with. You guys have killed all diversity...

Indonesia on the other hand is still pluraristic with significant minorities, plus even Muslims are proud of their ancient Hindu/ Buddhist past unlike some weirdos on my west...

And yes you should return to Pakistan.

Why???? Should indonesia be pluralistic?

They are the most populous muslim nation in the world, they have respected minorities and not degenerated their past.

Yet in their locality they have india killing muslims for eating meat, and electing clowns like Yogi, Burma persecuting muslim minorities

Why should indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei etc be pluralistic?

 

[Offshore]

Why???? Should indonesia be pluralistic?

They are the most populous muslim nation in the world, they have respected minorities and not degenerated their past.

Yet in their locality they have india killing muslims for eating meat, and electing clowns like Yogi, Burma persecuting muslim minorities

Why should indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei etc be pluralistic?

I absolutely agree with you.
Indonesia and Malaysia should follow Pakistan example as a Muslim country!
They should adopt Islam law, and sharia!
But no worries!
Indonesia will soon apply sharia law in the next 5-10 years
In the end, Muslim country , Muslim law

 

[hussain0216]

I absolutely agree with you..
Indonesia and Malaysia should follow Pakistan example as a Muslim country!
They should adopt Islam law, and sharia!
But no worries!
Indonesia will soon apply sharia law in the next 5-10 years

In the end, Muslim country , Muslim law

Deal with it

These countries should follow their own path, be as religious or irreligious as they wish. Its their countries

However the tears and gnashing of teeth from countries like india where you have people being lynched for eating meat and Muslim minorities being killed in places like Burma...

We are in the time of nation states, so if its ok for places like india to go hindutva or Burma to persecute Rohingya then its ok for Indonesia or Pakistan or Turkey to string up anyone they dont like