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Police to announce Ahok’s status over blasphemy allegations
Amid mounting public pressure, the National Police will announce on Wednesday morning whether they have sufficient evidence and testimony to name Jakarta gubernatorial candidate and incumbent governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama a suspect in a blasphemy case.
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Rocky campaign: Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama woos voters in Jatinegara, Jakarta, on Tuesday as he bids for his second term in next year’s gubernatorial election. The National Police will announce on Wednesday whether they have sufficient evidence and testimony to name Ahok a suspect in a blasphemy case. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
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mid mounting public pressure, the National Police will announce on Wednesday morning whether they have sufficient evidence and testimony to name Jakarta gubernatorial candidate and incumbent governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama a suspect in a blasphemy case.
“The announcement of the case screening results will take place on Wednesday at 10 a.m.,” the National Police said in an invitation sent to reporters.
Ahok, a Christian and Indonesian of Chinese descent in the predominantly Muslim country, sparked uproar among Muslim groups and communities after he made a comment on verses in the Quran during his visit to the Thousand Islands regency in late September. The police have so far received around a dozen reports regarding the case.
On Nov. 4, over 100,000 people, mostly from various Muslim groups, swarmed Jakarta's streets to demand Ahok's prosecution for alleged blasphemy.
(Read also: Suspect or not, Ahok will move on)
On Tuesday, investigators from the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) heard testimonies from dozens of witnesses and experts during a 10-hour closed-door case screening session.
Previously, a number of Muslim figures had accused law enforcers of protecting Ahok. Ahok, who previously served as deputy Jakarta governor, replaced his former boss, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, after the latter won the presidential election in 2014.
National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian, however, strongly denied the accusation and said that the police would continue the legal process. (hwa)
