In the letter Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, (Ahok) thanked supporters and those who were praying for him, or sending flowers, letters and books.

"It is not right to protest against each other in the process I am going through now," he added, saying he was concerned that his supporters could be involved in clashes with parties opposing him.

Ahok is withdrawing an appeal against his controversial jailing to allow prosecutors to appeal the sentence and calm protests, his family and lawyers say.

His two-year term was harsher than the suspended sentence the prosecution sought.

Purnama's lawyers said withdrawing his appeal could give prosecutors space to appeal.

"We don't want to intervene with the prosecution. They can go ahead," said one of the lawyers, I Wayan Sudirta,

He added that Purnama's legal team had requested he be moved from prison to city or house confinement.

It would not be the first time prosecutors had appealed against a tougher sentence than sought in the indictment, said another of his lawyers, Teguh Samudera.

President Joko Widodo said on Wednesday that authorities would "clobber" any group threatening to destroy Indonesia's tradition of pluralism and moderate Islam, and called for unity ahead of presidential elections in 2019.

Hardline Islamist groups, banned under the authoritarian regime of president Suharto, which ended in 1998, have gained ground in recent years, though they are usually small and on the fringes of society.

Source

• channelnewsasia.com
• channelnewsasia.com
• channelnewsasia.com
• Image: screenshot channelnewsasia

After sentencing Purnama, known as Ahok, was taken to Cipinang Penitentiary in Jakarta, which houses criminals including drug dealers and rapists.

The sentence was harsher than what prosecutors had asked for.

They had recommended two years' probation on a lesser charge, which would have spared Purnama prison time.

"We respect the decision but we can't accept it,"said Purnama's defence lawyer I Wayan Sidarta.

"We understand the pressure surrounding this case, but we're disappointed."

"We will file an appeal to challenge the decision,"

According to a Jakarta Post report, Wayan also questioned the judges' decision to detain Purnama as he had been cooperative during the hearing.

"Why should Ahok be detained? Ahok will still be governor, so he won't escape."

Under Indonesia's procedural code, he was not eligible to remain free during his appeal because he had faced a possible sentence of five years or more, according to legal experts.

Blasphemy is a crime in Indonesia, a secular democracy with the world's largest Muslim population.

The allegation of blasphemy is thought to have played a major part in Purnama's defeat, last month, by Anies Baswedan, a former minister of education and culture, in an election for Governor.

His deputy is expected to take over until Baswedan takes office in October.

A day before the verdict, the security minister, Wiranto announced that legal action would be taken to disband the Indonesian chapter of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an ultra conservative Islamic political movement that had participated in some of the protests against Purnama.

Hizb ut-Tahrir rejects democratic governance and says it aims to create a Pan-Islamic state, by force if necessary.

Source

• nytimes.com
• channelnewsasia.com
• Image: channelnewsasia.com

Naming someone a suspect is a formal step in the Indonesian legal system that means authorities believe they have enough preliminary evidence to consider filing charges.

Purnama, who could be jailed for up to five years if found guilty under Indonesia's blasphemy laws, pledged not to pull out of the Jakarta election in February following the announcement.

"This is not the end, there will be a court process which we hope will be open," he said, urging his supporters to back him in the vote.

A spokesman for President Joko Widodo, an ally of Purnama, urged all involved to respect the legal process.

Observers expressed surprise at the decision - police had been expected not to pursue the case as the evidence was viewed as weak - and said it could be a compromise to avoid further violence.

"This is a calculated move by the government and police," Tobias Basuki, a political analyst from Jakarta-based think tank the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. However he added the decision marked a "huge setback for Indonesia".

Tito Karnavian, the national police chief, said at a televised news conference that despite strong disagreement among investigators that the governor had violated Indonesia's archaic blasphemy laws, the case would go to trial.

"We agreed to take the case to an open judiciary process," he said, citing a need for transparency," he said.

Source

channelnewsasia.com

nyt.com