Ahok Mulls Pretrial Motion Against His Suspect Status in Blasphemy Case

Jakarta. Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has indicated that he may file a pretrial motion to annul his suspect status in a blasphemy case.
"Personally, I want [to file] a pretrial motion so [the legal process] can be broadcasted live," Ahok said at his Rumah Lembang campaign headquarters in Jakarta on Wednesday (16/11).
However, it is not yet clear what his next legal move would be, as he must still discuss the matter with his lawyers.
Ruhut Sitompul, campaign spokesman for Ahok and Djarot Saiful Hidayat, said the pretrial motion would be a "campaign stage" for the incumbent pair as the public will see that the governor had no intention to insult Islam.
Ruhut predicted that the legal case against Ahok may take up to three years to finalize and that it would not hamper the pair's candidacy in next year's Jakarta gubernatorial election.
Ahok was named a suspect in the blasphemy case on Wednesday morning over comments he made in a speech to residents of Pramuka Island in Jakarta's Thousand Islands district two months ago.
In video footage of the speech, Ahok says that nobody should manipulate verses from the Koran for political gain.
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