File Photo - Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama is seen inside a court during his trial for blasphemy in Jakarta, Indonesia May 9, 2017 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/ Sigid Kurniawan/via REUTERS
GENEVA (Reuters) - U.N. experts urged Indonesia on Monday to free Jakarta's Christian governor, who was jailed this month for blasphemy - a conviction that risks encouraging Islamists to challenge secularism in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation.
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, an ethnic Chinese popularly known as "Ahok", was jailed on May 9 for a longer-than-expected two years under a fatwa from Indonesia's highest Muslim clerical council and after aggressive media campaigns and violent protests.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Get 30% off with our ads free Premium Plan!
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
