Jakarta’s former governor, known as Ahok, who was sentenced to two years in jail for blasphemy against Islam, was due to be released from prison on 24 January, four months ahead of schedule.
The ethnic Chinese Christian, whose real name is Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, should have been released in May but has been granted early release.
Ahok, the first Christian and ethnic Chinese to govern Indonesia’s capital since the 1960s, was charged with blasphemy in December 2016 after accusing his political opponents of using Qur’anic verses to dissuade Muslims from voting for him in his bid for re-election as Jakarta governor.
