Police Widen Blasphemy Probe Into Jakarta Christian Governor
- Political ally of President Widodo accused of insulting Koran
- Governor denies wrongdoing, penalty of up to 5 years in jail
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama.
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Police in Indonesia have broadened their blasphemy investigation into the capital’s Christian governor, naming him a suspect in a case that has fueled political tensions over religious intolerance in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, a political ally of President Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, has been accused of insulting the Koran over comments he made in September that Muslim groups have alleged amounted to blasphemy, which in Indonesia can carry a penalty of up to five years in jail. The governor has previously denied wrongdoing.