Breaking News: Former Governor Ahok Granted Christmas Clemency

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The lawyer of Former Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok said that his client, who has been sentenced to two years in prison for blasphemy, will be granted Christmas clemency on December 25.

According to the lawyer, I Wayan Sudirta, Ahok has gone through six months of his total sentence. I Wayan said that during his client’s imprisonment, Ahok has been well-behaved and had performed his obligations.

“Ahok has fulfilled the administrative requirement to receive a clemency,” said I Wayan in a telephone interview on Sunday, December 17. Ahok was sentenced to jail on May 9 after he was proven guilty for his speech that was deemed controversial by many, and considered to be blasphemy for Jakarta’s Muslim majority.

I Wayan further explained that the clemency Ahok will receive is already regulated by Law No 12/1995 on Correctional affairs. It is also mentioned in Government’s Regulation No 32/1999 on the rights of Procedures and Implementation of Rights of Correctional Residents and a 1999 Presidential Decree.

“The clemency that Ahok received already complies with those rules,” said I Wayan.

The upcoming Christmas clemency will be the first for Ahok, considering that he was not eligible to be granted with the previous Indonesian Independence clemency of August 17. However, I Wayan revealed that Ahok will receive a clemency worth less than one month. “He might receive a 15-day clemency.”

Irsyan Hasyim (Contributor)