The Latest: Blasphemy sentence elicits shock, jubilation

Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama sits on the defendant’s chair as he attends his sentencing hearing in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, May 9, 2017. The minority Christian governor is currently on trial on accusation of blasphemy following his remark about a passage in the Quran that could be interpreted as prohibiting Muslims from accepting non-Muslims as leaders. (Bay Ismoyo/Pool Photo via AP)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The Latest on the blasphemy trial of the Indonesian capital’s minority Christian governor, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama (all times local):

1:00 p.m.

Indonesians are divided between shock and jubilation after Jakarta’s governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama was sentenced to two years prison for blaspheming the Quran.

Outside the court Tuesday, supporters of Ahok wept while members of Islamic groups punched the air in celebration. On Twitter, some Indonesians have declared the verdict makes them ashamed of their country.

Ahok said during the campaign that people were being deceived if they believed a specific verse in the Quran forbids Muslims from voting for non-Muslims.

Syamsu Hilal, a member of an anti-blasphemy group who reported Ahok’s comments to police last year, says “here we have witnessed that the judge has become a representative of God, that the judge has upheld justice.”

But Ahok supporter Adrian Sianturi said “this decision is the character assassination of a good governor, a clean politician who is rare in this country.”

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12:30 p.m.

Ronny Talampessy, a lawyer for the Indonesian capital’s minority Christian governor, Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, says Ahok has been taken to a prison in Jakarta following a court’s decision to sentence him to two years in jail for blaspheming the Quran.

Ahok has said he will appeal the verdict. It’s unclear whether he would be released once the appeal is underway.

Television footage showed an armored police van arriving at the prison on Tuesday and journalists waiting for Ahok to emerge.

Wayan Sudirta, another lawyer for Ahok, said there was “so much pressure” for Ahok to be imprisoned. He said, “We can understand but we cannot accept the verdict. Therefore we will appeal.”

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11:20 a.m.

Jakarta Gov. Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama says he will appeal a guilty verdict and two-year prison sentence for blasphemy.

The sentencing Tuesday was a shock to his supporters after prosecutors had recommended two years of probation. Members of hard-line Muslim groups gathered outside the court in north Jakarta were jubilant.

The lead judge said the trial was a purely criminal one and the court disagreed that there were political aspects to the case.