Jakarta’s former governor, known as Ahok, who was sentenced to two years in jail for blasphemy against Islam, was due to be released from prison on 24 January, four months ahead of schedule.
The ethnic Chinese Christian, whose real name is Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, should have been released in May but has been granted early release.
Ahok, the first Christian and ethnic Chinese to govern Indonesia’s capital since the 1960s, was charged with blasphemy in December 2016 after accusing his political opponents of using Qur’anic verses to dissuade Muslims from voting for him in his bid for re-election as Jakarta governor.
Fake news
In March it was reported that Ahok may also have been a victim of a sophisticated anti-government campaign of ‘fake news’ and malicious bots. An online jihadist network known as the Muslim Cyber Army (MCA) posted ‘inflammatory content and messages designed to amplify social and religious division, and push a hardline Islamist and anti-government line’, authorities said.
One day after he lost the election to his Muslim contender, prosecutors downgraded the blasphemy charges against him and recommended he serve no prison time if found guilty.
His sentence received widespread condemnation globally as politicians, academics and rights groups expressed their concerns about the growing threat to religious pluralism in Indonesia.
