During latest Tuesday's hearing, the judge panel led by Dwiarso Budi Santiarto stated that based on the evidence and testimonies heard throughout the trial, all the requirements of an act of blasphemy as stipulated in Article 156a of the Criminal Code had been fulfilled. Critics lamented the ruling, accusing the judges of accommodating pressure from several groups that have relentlessly demanded that judges punish Ahok with the harshest sentence possible.
Finally, non-active Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has served two nights behind bars since the North Jakarta District Court declared him guilty of blasphemy and sentenced him to two years in prison. Ahok has been detained since Tuesday after the North Jakarta District Court declared him guilty of committing blasphemy.
On the very evening after the verdict was announced, thousands of Jakarta residents rallied until late night in front of the Cipinang detention center in East Jakarta, forcing the authorities to transfer Ahok to the police's Mobile Brigade headquarters in Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java, which houses terrorism and treason suspects, citing public order and security concerns.
Due to security concerns, he was moved to the National Police's Mobile Brigade’s (Brimob) detention facility in Kelapa Dua, Depok, on Wednesday, from the Cipinang detention center in East Jakarta.
However, his incarceration has triggered a wave of massive support from sympathizers who lament what they consider an unjust ruling and demand the suspension of the detention of the outgoing governor, who is also filing an appeal against the verdict.
Separately, a day after handing down the verdict, three of the five judges in Ahok's case were promoted by the Supreme Court. Dwiarso and Abdul Rosyad were promoted to be judges in the Denpasar High Court and the Palu High Court, respectively, while Jupriyadi was promoted to be head of the Bandung District Court.
Politicians and supporters of non-active Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama have conveyed their readiness to become the guarantors for the latter's detention delay.
Ahok's lawyer Fifi Lety Indra said the United Development Party (PPP) chairman Djan Faridz and Jakarta Legislative Council speaker Prasetyo Edi Marsudi, who is also an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, had filed a detention delay request for Ahok with the Jakarta High Court.
Ahok's family members, including his wife, Veronika Tan, and his eldest son, Nicholas Sean Purnama, and several of Ahok's lawyers will also become the guarantors for his detention delay. It was Jakarta acting governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat who first took such a step.
On Wednesday, Ahok's supporters started to collect signatures and copies of ID cards at City Hall to meet requirements needed to act as guarantors for his release. The lawyers deplored the North Jakarta District Court's decision to order the detention of Ahok. It was also impossible for Ahok to escape abroad. The lawyers expect the court would impose a city arrest for Ahok.
On Wednesday morning, thousands gathered at City Hall to join a choir led by renowned conductor Addie MS. Later in the evening, another crowd gathered at Proklamasi Park in Central Jakarta where people held candles aloft, symbolizing their hope for the nation to recover its unity after the deeply divisive election. Rallies not only occurred in the capital. More than 1,000 protesters also staged a candlelight vigil in the area of Yogyakarta's Tugu monument and hundreds more were in Imbi Park in Jayapura, Papua.
Reports have also been circulating that those living far beyond Jakarta are planning to hold similar "1,000 candlelight vigils," including in Medan, North Sumatra, on Thursday evening, at KB Park in Semarang, Central Java, and in Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, Canada, on Friday, at the Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth in Australia and in West Covina, California, US, on Saturday and at Victoria Park in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Commenting on the massive rallies, former president and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri said the support simply reflected the people's love for Ahok, thanks to his stellar performance. Megawati said she hoped people would learn from Ahok's case to stop thinking in divisive ways and start treating fellow countrymen equally, regardless of their ethnic or religious backgrounds.
The Judicial Commission (KY) has called on law enforcement institutions to take tough measures against any parties attempting to "intervene" in the ongoing legal process of Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama's blasphemy case. The commission made the statement on Thursday in response to a rally conducted by Ahok's supporters in front of the Jakarta High Court on the previous day. KY spokesperson Farid Wajdi said any attempt to pressure judges and the court demeaned "the honor and dignity" of Indonesia's judiciary.
What Is Phenomenon This?
Support flowing to Ahok through rally, protest and readiness to become the guarantors for the latter's detention delay have many of interpretation about this. Firstly, support flowing to Ahok has been indicated that Ahok has a solid mass base who loves him. This condition also indicating that Ahok's supporters have been readied to supporting Ahok forever because they have believe in Ahok's figures and also they have a big political expectation to Ahok's figures.
Secondly, Ahok's supporters have been believe in that Ahok's trial process had been un-equal process because Ahokers has been realized that as long as Ahok's trial had been coloured by mass-rallies between Ahokers and anti-Ahok group and they had been felt that judges in Ahok's case didn't in a neutral position to make law sentenced to Ahok.
Thirdly, "1,000 candlelight vigils," including in Medan, North Sumatra, on Thursday evening, at KB Park in Semarang, Central Java, and in Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, Canada, on Friday, at the Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth in Australia and in West Covina, California, US, on Saturday and at Victoria Park in Hong Kong on Sunday have been shown that an international mass intervention has been done to Ahok's case.
Perhaps, an international communities have had a common-perception with Ahok's supporters or Ahokers that Ahok's had been taken "un-proportional and un-professional trial process" and indirectly an international communities had been had that Indonesia's trial process has always been un-gained for minority communities in Indonesia.
Fourthly, actually and truely, rallies, protest and support flowing to Ahok after he has been detaining at Brimob Headquarters in Depok, West Java, Indonesia have been reflected Ahokers attempting to "intervene" after legal process of Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama's blasphemy case has been done and those would be expressed that Ahok's supporters didn't take their lose in Jakarta's governor election and its could be triggered a social reconciliation after "a political competition" has been difficult to implement.
Basically, after high tention-rivalry as long as Jakarta's governor election, a social reconciliation has been made a key factor to reunite anti-Ahok and pro-Ahok group to minimalize long-lasting uncertainty after political competition was ended.
*) The writer is a strategic issues observer. Lives in Semarang, Central, Java.
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Megapolitan 2017
Finally, non-active Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has served two nights behind bars since the North Jakarta District Court declared him guilty of blasphemy and sentenced him to two years in prison. Ahok has been detained since Tuesday after the North Jakarta District Court declared him guilty of committing blasphemy.
On the very evening after the verdict was announced, thousands of Jakarta residents rallied until late night in front of the Cipinang detention center in East Jakarta, forcing the authorities to transfer Ahok to the police's Mobile Brigade headquarters in Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java, which houses terrorism and treason suspects, citing public order and security concerns.
Due to security concerns, he was moved to the National Police's Mobile Brigade’s (Brimob) detention facility in Kelapa Dua, Depok, on Wednesday, from the Cipinang detention center in East Jakarta.
However, his incarceration has triggered a wave of massive support from sympathizers who lament what they consider an unjust ruling and demand the suspension of the detention of the outgoing governor, who is also filing an appeal against the verdict.
Separately, a day after handing down the verdict, three of the five judges in Ahok's case were promoted by the Supreme Court. Dwiarso and Abdul Rosyad were promoted to be judges in the Denpasar High Court and the Palu High Court, respectively, while Jupriyadi was promoted to be head of the Bandung District Court.
Politicians and supporters of non-active Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama have conveyed their readiness to become the guarantors for the latter's detention delay.
Ahok's lawyer Fifi Lety Indra said the United Development Party (PPP) chairman Djan Faridz and Jakarta Legislative Council speaker Prasetyo Edi Marsudi, who is also an Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician, had filed a detention delay request for Ahok with the Jakarta High Court.
Ahok's family members, including his wife, Veronika Tan, and his eldest son, Nicholas Sean Purnama, and several of Ahok's lawyers will also become the guarantors for his detention delay. It was Jakarta acting governor Djarot Saiful Hidayat who first took such a step.
On Wednesday, Ahok's supporters started to collect signatures and copies of ID cards at City Hall to meet requirements needed to act as guarantors for his release. The lawyers deplored the North Jakarta District Court's decision to order the detention of Ahok. It was also impossible for Ahok to escape abroad. The lawyers expect the court would impose a city arrest for Ahok.
On Wednesday morning, thousands gathered at City Hall to join a choir led by renowned conductor Addie MS. Later in the evening, another crowd gathered at Proklamasi Park in Central Jakarta where people held candles aloft, symbolizing their hope for the nation to recover its unity after the deeply divisive election. Rallies not only occurred in the capital. More than 1,000 protesters also staged a candlelight vigil in the area of Yogyakarta's Tugu monument and hundreds more were in Imbi Park in Jayapura, Papua.
Reports have also been circulating that those living far beyond Jakarta are planning to hold similar "1,000 candlelight vigils," including in Medan, North Sumatra, on Thursday evening, at KB Park in Semarang, Central Java, and in Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, Canada, on Friday, at the Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth in Australia and in West Covina, California, US, on Saturday and at Victoria Park in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Commenting on the massive rallies, former president and Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri said the support simply reflected the people's love for Ahok, thanks to his stellar performance. Megawati said she hoped people would learn from Ahok's case to stop thinking in divisive ways and start treating fellow countrymen equally, regardless of their ethnic or religious backgrounds.
The Judicial Commission (KY) has called on law enforcement institutions to take tough measures against any parties attempting to "intervene" in the ongoing legal process of Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama's blasphemy case. The commission made the statement on Thursday in response to a rally conducted by Ahok's supporters in front of the Jakarta High Court on the previous day. KY spokesperson Farid Wajdi said any attempt to pressure judges and the court demeaned "the honor and dignity" of Indonesia's judiciary.
What Is Phenomenon This?
Support flowing to Ahok through rally, protest and readiness to become the guarantors for the latter's detention delay have many of interpretation about this. Firstly, support flowing to Ahok has been indicated that Ahok has a solid mass base who loves him. This condition also indicating that Ahok's supporters have been readied to supporting Ahok forever because they have believe in Ahok's figures and also they have a big political expectation to Ahok's figures.
Secondly, Ahok's supporters have been believe in that Ahok's trial process had been un-equal process because Ahokers has been realized that as long as Ahok's trial had been coloured by mass-rallies between Ahokers and anti-Ahok group and they had been felt that judges in Ahok's case didn't in a neutral position to make law sentenced to Ahok.
Thirdly, "1,000 candlelight vigils," including in Medan, North Sumatra, on Thursday evening, at KB Park in Semarang, Central Java, and in Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, Canada, on Friday, at the Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth in Australia and in West Covina, California, US, on Saturday and at Victoria Park in Hong Kong on Sunday have been shown that an international mass intervention has been done to Ahok's case.
Perhaps, an international communities have had a common-perception with Ahok's supporters or Ahokers that Ahok's had been taken "un-proportional and un-professional trial process" and indirectly an international communities had been had that Indonesia's trial process has always been un-gained for minority communities in Indonesia.
Fourthly, actually and truely, rallies, protest and support flowing to Ahok after he has been detaining at Brimob Headquarters in Depok, West Java, Indonesia have been reflected Ahokers attempting to "intervene" after legal process of Jakarta governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama's blasphemy case has been done and those would be expressed that Ahok's supporters didn't take their lose in Jakarta's governor election and its could be triggered a social reconciliation after "a political competition" has been difficult to implement.
Basically, after high tention-rivalry as long as Jakarta's governor election, a social reconciliation has been made a key factor to reunite anti-Ahok and pro-Ahok group to minimalize long-lasting uncertainty after political competition was ended.
*) The writer is a strategic issues observer. Lives in Semarang, Central, Java.
Editor : M. Tohamaksun
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Megapolitan 2017