Indonesia police pursue blasphemy case against capital's Christian governor as tension simmers

Record ID: 78660

  • Title: Indonesia police pursue blasphemy case against capital's Christian governor as tension simmers
  • Date: 16th November 2016
  • Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (NOVEMBER 16, 2016) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** EXTERIOR OF NATIONAL POLICE HEADQUARTERS REPORTERS PREPARING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE INVESTIGATORS SITTING DOWN BEFORE NEWS CONFERENCE STARTS (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) CHIEF OF NATIONAL POLICE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT, ARI DONO SUKMANTO SAYING: "Even though there was no consensus, the dominant opinion is that this case should be settled in court. The next phase of investigation will be intensified. By naming Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok as a suspect, he is not allowed to leave Indonesia." CAMERAMAN FILMING POLICE CHIEF TITO KARNAVIAN SITTING DOWN (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INDONESIAN POLICE CHIEF, TITO KARNAVIAN SAYING: "We are aware that there are people who protested and are riding on this momentum to benefit from other agendas, such as measures that are unconstitutional. That's why we need to stress that, we have to return to the basis, bring this case to the court and trial it in the open. I believe the people of Indonesia will witness the legal process, accept and respect it no matter what the final conclusion is." EXTERIOR OF JAKARTA GOVERNOR ELECTION HEADQUARTERS FOR BASUKI TJAHAJA PURNAMA'S TEAM PURNAMA WALKING TO NEWS CONFERENCE PURNAMA TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) JAKARTA GOVERNOR, BASUKI TJAHAJA PURNAMA, SAYING: "For me this is not just a case about Ahok but about determining the direction this country is going in because we believe everyone is equal and can be prosecuted. I thank the police for processing the case, I'll accept being a suspect and will follow the legal procedures. I think this is a good example of democracy." PURNAMA'S MUSLIM SUPPORTER RUSITA (WEARING HIJAB) TALKING TO ANOTHER SUPPORTER BADGE ON RUSITA HIJAB (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) PURNAMA'S SUPPORTER, RUSITA SAYING: "I'm disappointed, because tongue slips right? And he had apologized even before they reported on him. As a Muslim we should be tolerant because our nation is built on the motto of 'pancasila', our citizen embrace a variety of religious beliefs." VARIOUS OF POLICE GUARDING PURNAMA'S ELECTION CAMP HEADQUARTERS JAKARTA, INDONESIA (RECENT - NOVEMBER 4, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HIGH SHOTS SHOWING THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS GATHERING NEAR PRESIDENTIAL PALACE (NIGHT SHOT) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS DISPERSING/SMOKE
  • Embargoed: 1st December 2016 06:00
  • Keywords: Indonesia Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama blasphemy police court Islam Muslim
  • Location: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
  • City: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00158P0OCL
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART AUDIO AS INCOMING
    Indonesian national police on Wednesday (November 16) named the Christian and ethnic Chinese governor of Jakarta a suspect in an alleged blasphemy case brought against him by Muslim groups.
    The complaint against Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, nicknamed "Ahok" and the first ethnic Chinese and Christian governor of the sprawling Indonesian capital, comes as President Joko Widodo tries to keep a lid on security and simmering religious tensions in the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation.
    Ari Dono Sukmanto, chief of the National Police criminal investigation department, said Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama should not be allowed to leave the country during the investigation.
    "Even though there was no consensus, the dominant opinion is that this case should be settled in court. The next phase of investigation will be intensified. By naming Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok as a suspect, he is not allowed to leave Indonesia," said Sukmanto.
    The blasphemy allegations center on a speech Purnama made in September in which he said his opponents had deceived voters by attacking him using a verse from the Koran.
    Purnama has apologized for the comments but hardline Muslim groups have demanded that he resign, claiming that he insulted the Koran.
    Police chief Tito Karnavian urged calm among the people and accept the result that would be delivered by the court later.
    "We are aware that there are people who protested and are riding on this momentum to benefit from other agendas, such as measures that are unconstitutional. That's why we need to stress that, we have to return to the basis, bring this case to the court and trial it in the open. I believe the people of Indonesia will witness the legal process, accept and respect it no matter what the final conclusion is," said Karnavian.
    More than 100,000 Muslims marched against Purnama this month, urging voters not to re-elect him in February.
    "For me this is not just a case about Ahok but about determining the direction this country is going in because we believe everyone is equal and can be prosecuted. I thank the police for processing the case, I'll accept being a suspect and will follow the legal procedures. I think this is a good example of democracy," Purnama told reporters following the announcement.
    Purnama, a Protestant, once hugely popular for his tough, reformist approach to running the city of 10 million, has seen his support plummet amid the controversy.
    But some supporters vowed to stand by him despite the police decision.
    "I'm disappointed, because tongue slips right? And he had apologized even before they reported on him. As a Muslim we should be tolerant because our nation is built on the motto of 'pancasila', our citizen embrace a variety of religious beliefs," said a Muslim supporter Rusita, who attended Purnama's governor election rally in the capital.
    A decision to drop the case could have sparked mass protests led by hardline Muslims against not just Purnama but also Widodo, who is seen as a key backer of the governor.
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