In Chains: Christian Persecution - 2019, Issue 1

Governor Ahok
Released!
Reprinted with permission: International Christian Concern
International Christian Concern (ICC) has
learned that on January 24, 2019, the former
Jakarta governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama,
an ethnic Chinese Christian politician, was
released from prison after serving nearly
two years on blasphemy charges. The former
governor, commonly known as “Ahok,”
walked free from Mako Brimob detention
facility and was welcomed by his son
Nicholas Sean.
The former governor was found guilty of
blasphemy for a comment he made, quoting
the Quran while campaigning for re-election.
The verdict raised the question of
Indonesia’s claimed freedom of religion and
remains a controversial issue ahead of this
April’s presidential election.
In a letter to supporters that was shared on
Twitter last week, he thanked God for
allowing him to lose the gubernatorial
election and serve his prison term. If he had
won, he believes that he would have only
become “more arrogant, ruder” and hurt the
feelings of many others.
“I also want to apologize to Ahokers [my
supporters], all of Jakarta’s civil servants,
even my haters, of all the things that I’ve said
and done that have hurt you and your family,”
he said.
nickname “Ahok,” he added, “I am sorry and I
hope that you will call me BTP now, not Ahok.”
Jacob F. Lesmana, an ethnic Chinese
Christian in Jakarta told ICC, “Ahok really
fulIills the criteria of being a leader who can
inspire many people both in terms of people of
faith and on the secular side. The main reason
is that he has a set purpose in life so his vision
is clear. He understands his calling and what
he lives for. All the principles of his life are
guided by the biblical principle of Truth. It
takes a lot to build a life like his.”
BTP's lawyer Teguh Samudera said the
former governor plans to venture into the oil
business next, while also hosting a talk show.
He will also fulYill previously arranged
speaking engagements in New Zealand,
Japan, and Europe.
Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager, said,
“While we rejoice at the early release of BTP
given a granted remission last December, he
should never have been imprisoned in the Iirst
place. He was not the only victim of
Indonesia’s blasphemy law. He will likely not
be the last one either if the Indonesian
government continues to yield to radical
Islamists’ requests instead of honoring
religious freedom for all citizens.”
Urging his supporters to call him by his
Indonesian initials “BTP” and not his Hakka