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Ahok's blasphemy trial moved to S. Jakarta
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Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama is escorted by anti-terror policemen as he leaves the North Jakarta District Court in Jakarta after his second hearing on Dec. 20. Ahok is on trial for blasphemy following his remarks about a passage in the Quran. (Pool Photo via AP/Adek Berry)
T
he Supreme Court (MA) has approved moving Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s blasphemy trial to the Agriculture Ministry’s main hall in South Jakarta from the North Jakarta District Court, which is now temporarily located at the former Central Jakarta District Court building on Jl. Gajah Mada No 17, Central Jakarta.
“The MA chief justice has agreed to move Ahok’s trial venue due to security reasons as recommended by the Jakarta Police and the Jakarta High Prosecutors’ Office,” the court’s spokesman Ridwan Mansyur told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Not only considered safer, the new venue is said to have a higher capacity in accommodating visitors than Ahok’s current hearing room, which can only accommodate 80 visitors, Ridwan said.
It was further said that MA chief justice issued a permit for moving Ahok’s trial venue on Thursday afternoon.
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Mochammad Iriawan said on Thursday that the Agriculture Ministry’s main hall, which was once used as the trial venue for former president Soeharto's corruption case and Abu Bakar Ba'syir's terrorism case, could accommodate 100 to 200 people.
The police would still limit the number of Ahok trial visitors to ensure each hearing could run smoothly, Iriawan said.
Ahok’s trial will continue on Dec. 27 to hear the judges' interlocutory decision regarding Ahok's exception conveyed on Dec. 13. (ebf)
