REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Secretary of the Supreme Council of the Democratic Party, Amir Syamsuddin said, the defendant of the alleged blasphemy case, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, took advantages on the exception conducted in the temporary office of North Jakarta District Court in Gajah Mada Street, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (12/13).
According to him, he offended his political opponents in Jakarta Gubernatorial Election. "He packed a response or exception, not only as a forum for his defense, but also a campaign and an opportunity to offend and to accuse his rivals as bad politicians who are not able to compete fairly," said Amir to Republika.co.id via short messaging service on Tuesday evening.
In the memorandum of objections, Ahok explained that he had ever been offended by his opponents who brought religious issues. "We all know it was obviously absurd because the public witnessed how careful two other pairs of governor are in addressing the sensitive issues," Amir explained.
In the exception, Ahok stated that the sentence “...being lied using Surat al Maidah verse 51...” which had been said in the Seribu Islands, addressed to politicians. Therefore, he insisted that he did not mean to insult Islam.
However, Ahok statements brought him to be charged by the Article 156a of the Penal Code or Article 156 of the Criminal Code on blasphemy. The second trial would be held on Tuesday (20/12) with the prosecutor response to exception of the defendant and his legal advisors.