The Indonesian capital's Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, was sentenced to two years in jail for blasphemy against Islam on Tuesday. The trial was being seen as a test of the world's largest Muslim-majority nation's religious tolerance.
Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, had criticised his opponents' use of the Koran in political campaigning ahead of the election for governor last year. The governor had later also issued an apology for his comments during the campaign. However, he denied any wrongdoing.
The court's verdict is set to be a big blow to the ruling party as the Indonesian President Joko Widodo is an ally of Purnama, and the government had sought to quell radical groups and soothe investors' concerns that the country's secular values were at risk, according to Reuters.
The ruling came among growing concern about the increasing influence of Islamist groups in the country. The Islamist groups in the Jakarta reportedly organised mass demonstrations during a tumultuous election campaign that ended with Purnama losing his bid for another term as governor.
Pronouncing the court's verdict on Tuesday, the head judge of the south Jakarta court, Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, said Purnama was "found to have legitimately and convincingly conducted a criminal act of blasphemy, and because of that we have imposed two years of imprisonment."
Human Rights Watch expresses concern
Human Rights Watch's Andreas Harsono described the verdict as "a huge setback" for Indonesia's record of tolerance and for minorities.
"If someone like Ahok, the governor of the capital, backed by the country's largest political party, ally of the president, can be jailed on groundless accusations, what will others do?"
The ruling came as thousands of supporters who waited outside the court stood shocked. The government had deployed hundreds of police personnel in the capital early on Tuesday in case clashes broke out. However, there was no immediate sign of any violence after the verdict.
