The Governor of Jakarta Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, who’s standing trial for blasphemy, has sat through eight trial sessions. The trials have been widely documented and reported by the press. But the eighth trial, which was held last Tuesday, could be the one proceeding that have produced the most headlines. The reason for that is a piece of information implied by Ahok’s lawyer while cross-examining the witness present in said proceeding K.H. Ma’ruf Amin. Ahok’s lawyer suggested that the chairman of MUI (and religious leader of the Nadhlatul Ulama, which is the largest Muslim organization in the country) may have once spoken to the Sixth President of the Republic Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) over the phone, and that in said phone conversation, SBY urged Ma’ruf Amin to release a fatwa wherein Ahok is declared guilty of defaming the Qur’an and of insulting Ulemas. To subscribe please click here
