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Ahok to present Muslim cleric at blasphemy hearing
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Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama attends a hearing at the North Jakarta District Court on Feb. 21. (JP/Donny Fernando)
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ncumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama is set to present a Muslim cleric during the 15th hearing of his blasphemy trial on Tuesday.
Fifi Lety Indra, Ahok's lawyer, said the legal team would present KH Ahmad Ishomuddin from Nahdlatul Ulama’s central board (PBNU) to testify before the judges.
"Ahmad is a rais syuriah of the PBNU Jakarta chapter and a lecturer from the sharia faculty at Raden Intan State Islamic University, Lampung," Fifi said on Monday, referring to the term for a supreme leader of a religious council within the largest Islamic organization in the country.
Besides Ahmad, Ahok’s team will also present University of Indonesia language expert Rahayu Surtiati and Parahyangan University criminal law expert Djisman Samosir.
Last Tuesday, the lawyers, who earlier described the case as a "trial by the mob," presented criminal expert Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej from Gadjah Mada University.
Edward testified that the prosecutors’ decision to indict Ahok on alternative charges showed their doubts about the validity of the blasphemy case.
According to the indictment, by commenting on Surah Al Maidah 51 of the Quran during a visit to Thousand Islands on Sept. 27, Ahok violated either Article 156 or Article 156, section A, of the Criminal Code, which carry maximum sanctions of four years and five years in prison, respectively.
"The alternative indictments show the prosecutors’ doubts in determining the appropriate charge [against Ahok]. Therefore, they’ve handed it over it to the judges,” Edward said.
