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Prosecutors appeal Ahok's verdict
Prosecutors have formally appealed the North Jakarta District Court's decision to sentence Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama to two years in prison for blasphemy
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North Jakarta District Court chief judge Dwiarso Budi Santiarto reads out a guilty verdict against Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama in the latter's blasphemy hearing on May 9. (JP/Kurniawan Mas'ud/Pool)
Prosecutors have formally appealed the North Jakarta District Court's decision to sentence Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama to two years in prison for blasphemy.
Ahok's lawyer, Josefina Syukur, said the prosecutors had filed the appeal with the Jakarta High Court via the North Jakarta District Court.
"They appealed on Monday and we, the lawyers, received information about it today [Tuesday]," Josefina told journalists.
On Friday, Attorney General HM Prasetyo confirmed the prosecutors would appeal Ahok's court verdict .
The sentence imposed by the North Jakarta District Court's judge panel in a hearing on May 9 was stiffer compared to the prosecutors' previous demand of two years' probation and one year in prison if he reoffended.
The prosecutors’ demand was ignored by the five-judge panel led by Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, who believed that Ahok had committed blasphemy.
Prasetyo said the prosecutors' move to appeal the sentence was a normal thing and was in accordance with existing legal procedures. The appeal aims to challenge the district court’s legal basis to punish Ahok, he said. (ebf)
