Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Mochamad Iriawan has warned that the police will disperse rallies with election-related messages held after the Jakarta gubernatorial election campaign period ends on Feb. 11.

Iriawan also confirmed that major rallies were slated to be held in Jakarta on Feb. 11, 12 and 15. He called on Jakartans to “remain alert” on those days.

The General Elections Commission (KPU) has declared Feb. 12 to 14 as the cooling-off period before voting day on Feb. 15.

“After the end of campaigning, no party will be allowed to hold rallies carrying messages related to the election. Any violators will be charged under the Elections Law, which carries a maximum sanction of three months in jail,” Iriawan said on Tuesday.

A number of conservative Islamic groups, such as the hardliners Islam Defenders Front (FPI), Muslim People’s Forum (FUI) and the National Movement to Safeguard the Indonesian Ulema Council’s Fatwa (GNPF-MUI) have claimed they will hold rallies between Feb. 11 and 15.

The groups were also among the initiators that mobilized the masses during large-scale rallies in November and December last year, which demanded incumbent gubernatorial candidate Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama be prosecuted for blasphemy.

Ahok is now standing trial for blasphemy.

The police said they had received a letter from the FUI informing them that around 10,000 people would hit Jakarta’s streets on Feb. 11.

“On Feb. 11, protesters will gather at Istiqlal Mosque [in Central Jakarta] for morning prayers. After that, they will march to Monas [National Monument] square via Jl. MH Thamrin, where they will disperse,” Iriawan said.

On Feb. 12, the first cooling-off day, a large Quran recital would be held at the mosque, he added.

Rallies are also expected during voting day on Feb. 15. Iriawan said demonstrators would begin with morning prayers at Istiqlal before moving to polling stations to monitoring voting.

“Polling stations will be monitored by supervisors, witnesses, organizers, police and the Community Protection Agency [Linmas],” he said.

Any form of protest that disrupted public order, such as blocking main roads, could be broken up by the police, he said.

(Read also: Thousands to join upcoming rally)

Similarly, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar urged protestors not to raise political issues during the planned rallies.

“We will not prohibit religious activities, but in terms of any political agenda, please follow the regulations issued by the KPU. Don’t conduct a rally if it violates election regulations,” he told journalists at the National Police headquarters in South Jakarta.

Masykurudin Hafid, the national coordinator of the People’s Voter Education Network (JPPR), said the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) and the authorities should keep their eyes open during the cooling-off period, suggesting that hidden campaigns would be rampant in the days before polling day.

He said civil society groups were also concerned about votebuying, intimidation and hate speech. (dis/hol)