TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok has withdrawn the appeal against his jail sentence for blasphemy. “He said that if he appeals, he could get a harsher sentence if a request for a cessation is filed. He fears that his political rights could be revoked,” Ahok’s defense lawyer Darwin Aritonang told Tempo.
According to Darwin, Ahok himself asked for the withdrawal of the appeal.
Ahok’s wife Veronica Tan and the legal team arrived at the North Jakarta District Court yesterday afternoon. They had submitted the appeal brief. But 30 minutes later the 196-page brief was withdrawn.
Veronica had said very little. “We only represent the family. Let we do the talking, not Bu Vero,” Ahok’s sister Fifi Letty. She promised to reveal the reasons behind the withdrawal in a press conference scheduled for today at Warung Daun in Cikini, Central Jakarta.
The panel of judges of the North Jakarta District Court two weeks ago sentenced Ahok to two years in jail for blasphemy. The latter was immediately detained. On the same day, Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo named Ahok’s deputy Djarot Saiful Hidayat an Acting Jakarta Governor.
The public prosecutors had sought one year jail and two-year probation period as Ahok was deemed not guilty of blasphemy. But the judges found Ahok guilty of violating article 156(a) of the Criminal Code which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in jail.
Darwin said that the decision to withdraw the appeal was made after a thorough consideration. He said that if Ahok accepts his two-year jail sentence and seeks remission his jail term will be shorter.
The court spokesman Hasoloan Sianturi said that Ahok’s legal team and family had earlier examined the case dossier. But after half an hour discussion ‘they withdraw the appeal’.
I Wayan Sudirta, also Ahok’s lawyer, said that the withdrawal does not necessarily conclude the case. He reasoned that the public prosecutors had filed an appeal last week. “It depends on the prosecutors, whether to withdraw [their appeal] or not,” Wayan said.
The attorney general’s office could not be reached for comment.
IRSYAN HASYIM | ERWAN HERMAWAN
