Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama's blasphemy trial continued yesterdayfor its seventeenth session at the Agricultural Ministry's auditorium in South Jakarta.
This time, Ahok was set to undergo a cross examination as a defendant. In addition, the panel of judges led by Dwiarso Budi Santiarto also examined some evidences brought by prosecutors and Ahok's legal team.
The session started with the screening of videos brought by witnessesNovel Chaidir, Gus Joy and Muchsin Alatas as evidence against Ahok.
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The videos consisted of a13-second footage of Ahok's speech in Thousand Island,an interview conducted in the Jakarta City Hall on Oct. 7, 2016, afull-length video of Ahok's speech in Thousand Island and another speech in Central Executive Board (DPP) of National Democratic (Nasdem) Party.
Then,Ahok's legal team presented a video of President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) defending Ahok regarding racial issues Ahok encountered when he ran in Bangka Belitung election in 2007.
One of the Ahok's lawyer team Sirra Prayuna said that the video would provide an overview for the meaning of al-Maidah verse 51.
Sirra explained that the video playback is meant to give depiction whether the meaning of al-Maidah as interpreted in prosecutor's allegation is true. "[Whether] it is allowed [or not] to choose a non-Muslim as leaders, something like that," said Sirra.
Ahok was accused of blasphemy by quoting Al-Maidah verse 51 during his visit to the Thousand Island district. Prosecutors charged him under Articles 156 and 156 of the Criminal Code.
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