- Title: Indonesia police probe blasphemy complaint against Jakarta governor
- Date: 15th November 2016
- Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (NOVEMBER 15, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF HEARING IN POLICE HEADQUARTERS IN PROGRESS PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE BUILDING POLICE GUARDING ENTRANCE TO BUILDING CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) LAWYER FOR BASUKI TJAHAJA PURNAMA, SIRRA PRAYUNA SAYING: "We want to understand the mechanism and procedures that will be taken by the police to investigate the issue. Today we will follow their instruction, in the meeting a legal team of six and three witnesses will present." VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF BUILDING NATIONAL POLICE SPOKESMAN, BOY RAFLI AMAR, TALKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INDONESIA'S NATIONAL POLICE SPOKESMAN, BOY RAFLI AMAR SAYING: "We've heard the report from the plaintiff, members of the investigation team and later today we will hear from the defendant. All of them are given equal time and opportunities (to present their statement)." JAKARTA GOVERNOR BASUKI TJAHAJA PURNAMA (SITTING ON THE RIGHT) TALKING TO A MUSLIM WOMAN ON STAGE DURING CAMPAIGN MUSLIM WOMAN SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE MUSLIM WOMAN TALKING SUPPORTERS CLAPPING HANDS VARIOUS OF PURNAMA TAKING PHOTOS WITH SUPPORTERS PURNAMA STANDING IN FRONT OF MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) JAKARTA GOVERNOR, BASUKI TJAHAJA PURNAMA SAYING: "This is a country with a rule of law, we'll leave it to the legislatures. If I become the suspect I'll follow the legal proceedings, whether I'm innocent or not I'll follow the legal procedures. But I'm convinced that I am innocent, it wasn't my intention." EXTERIOR OF PURNAMA CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS BANNER SHOWING PHOTO OF PURNAMA AND RUNNING MATE DJAROT SAIFUL HIDAYAT
- Embargoed: 30th November 2016 11:15
- Keywords: Indonesia Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama Ahok police blasphemy Muslim Islam
- Location: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
- City: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00158K0X8L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Indonesian police on Tuesday (November 15) kicked off a hearing on a blasphemy case brought by Muslim groups against the Jakarta governor, the first ethnic Chinese and Christian in the job.
Police are expected to decide this week on whether to pursue the case against Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, nicknamed "Ahok", and bring it to court, amid demands by hardline Muslims that he resign over accusations he insulted the Koran.
The blasphemy allegations centre on a speech Purnama made in September, when he said his opponents had deceived voters by attacking him using a verse from the Koran.
A social media user edited and subtitled a video of the speech but omitted a key word in the subtitles so it appeared the governor was criticising the Koran rather than his rivals, police said.
The video went viral and incensed moderate and hardline Muslim groups alike. Police are investigating the social media user and have questioned up to 70 witnesses in the case against Purnama.
The hearing on Tuesday was attended by the investigators, complainants and Purnama's legal team.
The outcome of the investigation is likely to be released on Wednesday (November 16), police said.
"We want to understand the mechanism and procedures that will be taken by the police to investigate the issue. Today we will follow their instruction, in the meeting a legal team of six and three witnesses will present," said Sirra Prayuna, lawyer for Purnama before the beginning of hearing.
The hearing started early in the morning and continued until late that day at the police headquarters.
"We've heard the report from the plaintiff, members of the investigation team and later today we will hear from the defendant. All of them are given equal time and opportunities (to present their statement)," said police spokesman Boy Rafli Amar.
Purnama, a Protestant, once hugely popular for his tough, reformist approach to running the city of 10 million said he was innocent of any wrongdoing.
"This is a country with a rule of law, we'll leave it to the legislatures. If I become the suspect I'll follow the legal proceedings, whether I'm innocent or not I'll follow the legal procedures. But I'm convinced that I am innocent, it wasn't my intention," Purnama told reporters during an election campaign on Tuesday.
Support for Purnama has plummeted amid the controversy but he remains ahead of his two rivals and around a third of voters remain undecided ahead of the upcoming Jakarta Governor's election, an opinion poll showed last week.
A decision to drop the case could spark mass protests led by hardline Muslims against not just Purnama but also President Joko Widodo, who is seen as a key backer of the Jakarta governor.
However, a decision to pursue the case against Purnama could set a precedent for persecution of religious minorities, rights activists said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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