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TV stations can broadcast Ahok's hearings: KPI
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Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama attends a hearing of his trial at the Agriculture Ministry's hall in Jakarta on Jan. 3. Ahok is on trial for blasphemy following his remark about a passage in the Quran that could be interpreted as prohibiting Muslims from accepting non-Muslims as leaders. (Tribunnews/POOL/Irwan Rismawan/ via jP)
T
he Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) says that the airing of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama’s blasphemy trial is allowed as long as television stations broadcast it proportionally and professionally.
"It should be understood that according to the Broadcasting Law, [electronic media outlets] can't use up all their time on one long broadcast or air the hearings all day long. The media should uphold the diversity of content, that is our stance," KPI chairman Yuliandre Darwis told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
(Read also: Indonesia's AJI urges police not to hinder journalists reporting Ahok trial)
Yuliandre said that four days before Ahok's first hearing on Dec. 13, the KPI conducted a Forum Group Discussion (FGD) which invited the Supreme Court chief justice, members of the Judicial Commission and North Jakarta District Court, chairmen of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), Nadhatul Ulama (NU) and Muhammadiyah, law experts, editors in chief from several television stations and the Press Council.
In that meeting, the Press Council suggested that the media not broadcast blasphemy hearings that presented witness testimony.
The council was aware that witness testimonies comparing different verses of the Quran might cause disputes among the public, Yuliandre said.
On Tuesday, presiding judge Dwiarso Budi Santiarto decided to not let television stations air the trial.
Yuliandre said any decision to prohibit broadcasts was the judges’ authority, and that the KPI only focused on the content of shows aired by television stations, he said.
(Read also: Ahok’s next trial hearing not to be aired on TV)
Previously, the controversial trial of murder convict Jessica Kumala Wongso was broadcast live by several television stations.
Ahok previously said that he hoped his trial could be aired like Jessica's so his legal process would be fair and transparent. (dmr)
