JAKARTA, March 29 — The Supreme Court has rejected former Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama’s petition for a case review of his blasphemy conviction, a spokesman confirmed.
“It was decided earlier this afternoon by the judges, and the case review petition has been rejected,” Supreme Court spokesman Suhadi said, as quoted by state-run news agency Antara.
Ahok’s lawyers filed the petition in February on the basis that the North Jakarta District Court made a mistake in finding him guilty of blasphemy.
The petition was reportedly reviewed by Supreme Court judges Artidjo Alkostar, Salman Luthan and Sumardijatmo.
Fifi Lety Indra, Ahok’s lawyer and sister, said there had been many oversights by the judges in the case and that the guilty verdict against Buni Yani was also seen as a new piece of evidence that could help the appeals process.
Buni Yani was sentenced to 18 months in prison in November for tampering with video footage of a speech by the former governor. The heavily edited video was used to prove that Ahok had committed blasphemy.
He was found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in May last year, following several mass rallies by hardline Muslim groups that insisted he had insulted Islam. — Jakarta Globe
