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Ahok inches closer to trial as AGO declares blasphemy case dossier complete
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The risk of words – Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama (front right) talks to journalists after attending questioning over alleged blasphemy at the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department in Jakarta on Nov. 22. (Antara/Reno Esnir)
T
he Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has declared that the dossier of a blasphemy case implicating Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama is complete, paving the way for the high-profile case to go to trial.
“Today, the AGO announces that the case dossier of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, or Ahok, is complete. That means the police investigation results meet the formal and material [criteria] required by the law,” the AGO's junior prosecutor for general crimes, Noor Rahmad, said on Wednesday.
(Read also: Police give go-ahead for anti-Ahok rally)
Ahok, a Christian of Chinese descent in the predominantly Muslim country, sparked uproar among some Muslims after he made a comment on a verse in the Quran during a visit to Thousand Islands regency in late September.
On Nov. 4, more than 100,000 people, mostly from Muslim groups, swarmed Jakarta streets to demand Ahok's prosecution for blasphemy.
(Read also: Jakartans calm over rally plan)
The National Police named Ahok, who is seeking reelection in next year's gubernatorial election, a suspect of blasphemy on Nov. 16 and handed his case dossier over to the AGO on Friday. He is charged under Article 156 (a) of the Criminal Code on blasphemy, which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison.
On Monday, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said he expected the AGO to immediately declare Ahok’s dossier complete, so that the courts could settle the legal process against him as soon as possible. (hwa)
