In late 2016, Indonesian politician Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, was accused of blasphemy against Islam after he quoted a verse from the Quran which suggests that Muslims should not be led by non-Muslims. This accusation led to large protests throughout Jakarta and other major Indonesian cities, and on May 9, 2017, Ahok was convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to two years in prison.
The controversy surrounding Ahok’s comments began on September 27, 2016, when he made a …