THOU SHALL NOT INSULT ISLAM! The CHRISTIAN governor of Jakarta just received 2 years in jail for Quoting the Koran

The outgoing governor of Jakarta has been jailed for two years for blasphemy after judges handed down a sentence that was harsher than expected.



Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, was accused of insulting Islam by referring to a verse in the Koran in a campaign speech last year.



Mr Purnama, a Christian in Muslim-majority Indonesia, has denied blasphemy and plans to appeal.



His case was seen as a test of the country's religious tolerance.



Mr Purnama was taken into custody immediately after the verdict was read out. His deputy Djarot Saiful Hidayat will govern Jakarta until the term ends in October.



The sentence was harsher than that requested by prosecutors, which was a one-year suspended sentence.



The governor was "found to have legitimately and convincingly conducted a criminal act of blasphemy, and because of that we have imposed two years of imprisonment", the judge told the court.



The verdict was met with strong protest. Hard-line Islamic groups who called for the maximum penalty of five years said it was too lenient, but Mr Purnama's supporters said it was too harsh and that he should be acquitted.



Protesters from both camps had gathered outside the court, which was guarded by around 15,000 security personnel from the police and military.