TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - North Jakarta District Court at 9 pm holds another hearing of blasphemy case against the defendant inactive Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.
Today’s hearing will see public prosecutors’ response to Ahok’s defense statement on Tuesday last week. “The reading of public prosecutors’ response to defendant or defense attorney’s defense statement,” North Jakarta District Court spokesman Hasoloan Sianturi told Tempo.
At around 6:30, mass organization members arrived at the court. Police personnel, however, had sterilized the court, barring attendees and media crew from entry, Antara news agency reported.
The court does not restrict the number of attendees and media wanting to see the trial. “But the courtroom only has 21 seats, each can only accommodate 4 people. So, the room can only house 84 people,” Hasoloan said.
Public prosecutors indicted Ahok with an alternative charge of Article 156 (a) of the Criminal Code or Article 156 of the Criminal Code of blasphemy. Ahok has been accused of intentionally insulting surah al-Maida, verse 51 of the Quran during his visit to the Seribu Islands on September 27, 2016.
AFRILIA SURYANI