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Ahok faces threats in Cipinang prison: Warden
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Barbed wire is installed in front of the National Police's Mobile Brigade (Brimob) detention center in Depok, West Java, where former Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama is detained. (tribunnews.com/Wahyu Aji)
T
he warden of Cipinang Penitentiary, Abdul Ghani, has revealed that, as former Jakarta governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama might face threats in the East Jakarta prison, he decided on Wednesday to entrust Ahok to the police’s Mobile Brigade Command detention center (Mako Brimob), Depok.
“The reason is his safety. His life may be threatened,” Abdul said, as quoted by kompas.com on Thursday.
Abdul said the threats might come from other inmates. However, he declined to specify the potential threats against Ahok.
Earlier, prosecutors had planned to transfer Ahok from the Mako Brimob detention center to Cipinang prison on Wednesday, as Ahok’s status had changed from defendant to convict after Ahok and his legal team withdrew their appeal against the North Jakarta District Court’s blasphemy ruling.
However, the Cipinang warden sent a letter to prosecutors, saying he entrusted Ahok to Mako Brimob because of security concerns.
Previously, prosecutors had taken Ahok to Cipinang prison on May 9, immediately after the judges had read out the verdict and sentenced Ahok to two years in prison for blasphemy.
The sentence triggered protests from hundreds of Ahok’s supporters, who flocked to the detention center to demand his release.
Less than 24 hours after being placed at Cipinang, Ahok was moved back to Mako Brimob on the basis of security and public order concerns.
Law and Human Rights minister Yasonna Laoly said at that time that Ahok's security was at risk at Cipinang prison, as someone had threatened to kill him. (cal)
