Prosecutor Ali Mukartono said the lawyers’ statement, which claimed that their client’s case had started after Buni Yani, a university lecturer, uploaded a video of the governor talking to residents of Thousand Islands regency in late September, was not true. During the conversation, the governor mentioned Surah Al Maidah 51.

“The video uploaded by Buni has caused frictions within society. However, the video is not the reason why the suspect should undergo this legal process," Ali said during Ahok’s second hearing at the North Jakarta District Court on Tuesday.

(Read also: Prosecutors say Ahok's refutation could lead to more trouble)

Ali said Ahok was legally processed because of his blasphemous speech, which violated either Article 156 or Article 156a of the Criminal Code. 

Prosecutors also denied that the legal bureaucracy had acted swiftly in investigating Ahok’s case without considering the Criminal Procedure Law. 

“The legal process of this case has run in accordance with prevailing laws,” Ali said.

In the hearing, Ali also rejected a statement from Ahok’s lawyers claiming that the police’s investigation into Ahok’s case had violated regulations. 

Ali said they should have expressed their objections surrounding the police investigation during the pre-trial hearing. (ebf)

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