Tag: Ahok

Jakarta’s Christian ex-governor drops blasphemy appeal ‘for sake of the people’

  Indonesia , , ,
Jakarta's Christian ex-governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as 'Ahok', with his wife Veronica and son Nicholas cast their votes in Jakarta on April 19, 2017. Ahok announced today not to appeal his two year prison sentence for blasphemy. Photo: Getty Images
Jakarta’s Christian ex-governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (also known as “Ahok”), has withdrawn his appeal against his two-year prison sentence for blasphemy in a controversial case that has challenged religious pluralism in Indonesia, with repeated clashes between Ahok’s supporters and radical Islamic groups. It was for this reason, said Ahok, that . . . Read More

Widespread condemnation for prison sentence of Ahok

  Indonesia , ,
The sentencing of Jakarta's Christian Governor to prison on blasphemy charges, focuses the spotlight again on Indonesia's controversial Blasphemy Law.
Tuesday’s verdict of an Indonesian court, sentencing Jakarta’s outgoing governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as ‘Ahok’, to two years in prison for blasphemy, has received widespread condemnation globally as politicians, academics and rights groups express their concern about religious pluralism in Indonesia. Ahok, the capital’s first Christian and ethnic governor since the . . . Read More

Indonesia’s Christian governor Ahok fails in re-election bid, as ‘blasphemy’ trial continues

  Indonesia , , ,
Indonesia's Christian governor Ahok fails in re-election bid, as 'blasphemy' trial continues
Preliminary results suggest that Jakarta’s Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (better known as “Ahok”), has failed in his re-election bid, as his trial for “blasphemy” goes on. Ahok is accused of insulting a Qur’anic verse during a campaign speech. Hard-line Islamist groups have rallied large crowds against him in recent . . . Read More

Jakarta’s Christian governor reveals repeated sectarian attacks at trial testing Indonesia’s pluralism

  Indonesia , , , , ,
Jakarta's Christian governor reveals repeated sectarian attacks at trial testing Indonesia's pluralism
The Indonesian Christian governor on trial for blasphemy said yesterday (4 April) that he has been the target of racist and religious attacks since he was elected to public office in 2005. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (better known as “Ahok”), the governor of Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta, also reiterated to the court . . . Read More

Concerns about tolerant Indonesia: 3 more churches closed

  Indonesia , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Church members of the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) of Yasmin Bogor and the Batak Christian Church (HKBP) of Filadelfia Bekasi, along with inter-faith human rights activists and students of the Jakarta Art Institute, held the 100th open-air Sunday Service in front of State Palace in September 2015 after their church buildings were sealed in 2010. (Photo: World Watch Monitor)
Indonesian authorities in Bogor, West Java, have banned three churches from holding religious activities. According to UCANews the Methodist Church Indonesia, Huria Batak Protestant Church and a house used by Catholics for catechism classes were ordered to close their doors. Local authorities said they could not guarantee the safety of the . . . Read More

Ahok wins vote, but not enough for re-election

Indonesia , , ,
Ahok wins vote, but not enough for re-election
Jakarta’s Christian governor recorded the most votes in the Indonesian capital’s gubernatorial elections yesterday (15 February), but failed to achieve the 50% necessary to secure his re-election. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (better known as “Ahok”) recorded 43% of the votes, around 3% more than his closest rival, Anies Baswedan. Voters will . . . Read More

‘I’d prefer if my leader is a Muslim’

Indonesia , , , , , , ,
Tens of thousands of Muslims have taken to the streets of Jakarta in recent days in an attempt to persuade Indonesians not to re-elect the capital city’s Christian governor, who stands accused of blasphemy. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (better known as “Ahok”) is accused of “misusing” a Qur’anic verse (which, some . . . Read More

Extremism inside Indonesia’s largest Islamic group

Indonesia , , , , , ,
After Indonesian Christian leaders met the country’s President to plead for action against the country’s Islamic Defenders Front, there are now fears that the largest Islamic organisation in Indonesia may also be becoming increasingly conservative in its views. The Christian leaders told President Joko Widodo that the Islamic Defenders Front . . . Read More

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