Indonesia: Man Behind Ahok Video Charged with Altering Content

The man whose online video whipped up blasphemy allegations and massive protests against Jakarta’s former governor was charged in court Tuesday with intentionally editing the politician’s words to incite hatred based on ethnicity and religion.

Buni Yani appeared at the Bandung District Court in West Java, where he faced charges of violating Indonesia’s Electronic Information and Transactions Law by altering words uttered during a videotaped speech in September 2016 by Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama.

Those words were at the center of a public controversy around Ahok, which was driven by conservative Indonesian Muslim groups who wanted this member of the country’s Christian and ethnic Chinese minority to be prosecuted for comments that they construed as anti-Islam. Ahok has since been removed from office. He was jailed after losing an election bid in April and convicted of blasphemy the following month.

Buni allegedly violated article 32 of the law – intentionally making changes, hiding or transmitting electronic information belonging to other people – and article 28 – inciting hatred or hostility toward others based on ethnicity, religion, race or social group.

“The first article carries a sentence of eight years, while the second six years,” Buni’s lawyer, Aldwin Rahadian, told BenarNews in a phone interview after Tuesday’s hearing, which was the first in the case.

Buni allegedly posted a 30-second portion taken from the 24th and 25th minutes of a nearly two-hour video, which was filmed by the governor’s office. Buni is charged with removing a word from the portion he posted online to make it appear as though Ahok’s remarks targeted the Quran and not people. Buni was accused of putting a caption under footage claiming that Ahok’s comment was religious blasphemy.

“This additional caption also results in the strong reactions from people, especially Muslims,” prosecutor Andi Taufik said, according to Kompas.com.

Aldwin said prosecutors were wrong regarding the first indictment linked to article 32.

“The article is not in the investigation, but why suddenly is it there during the judicial process?” Aldwin said. “We reject this charge and will file an exception.”

Buni said he had never been questioned by investigators about that indictment.

While Buni and his team of lawyers were inside the courtroom, dozens of supporters rallied outside. The defendant visited with them after the hearing.

He told supporters that Ahok’s conviction should work in his favor.

“Ahok has been imprisoned, my case should be stopped,” he said. “The legal facts say that Ahok is already in jail, that is, I am not insulting Ahok for defaming religion.”

Ahok drops appeal

Following a six-month trial, Ahok was convicted on May 9 of criminal blasphemy for telling an audience last September that it should not be deceived by people citing a verse from Al-Maidah 51 from the Quran, which some interpret as meaning that Muslims should not have a non-Islamic leader.

On May 22, Ahok’s wife read a letter where he announced that he would not pursue an appeal of his two-year sentence for the sake of the nation. Prosecutors, who had sought a lesser sentence, last week dropped their appeal.

Ahok is entitled to two steps to mitigate his sentence: he can file a judicial review to the Supreme Court; or he can request clemency from his former boss, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

The hearing is expected to resume on June 20 when Buni’s lawyers present their objections to the prosecution’s case.