Arghea Desafti Hapsari, Jakarta – Ahead of the much-awaited ruling on the controversial Blasphemy Law, plaintiffs are holding their breath in anticipation of what they expect to be a historic ruling that could decide the fate of pluralism in the country.

Setara Institute, an NGO focusing on democratic and peacekeeping issues, and one of the plaintiffs for the judicial review request of the law at the Constitutional Court, said Friday that the ruling would have a huge impact on the country.

Setara executive director Hendardi reiterated his demand for the court to issue the ruling "with real intention to defend the Indonesian people's constitutional rights, which have been violated by the law".

Rafendi Djamin, who is from the Human Rights Working Group and also a commissioner for the ASEAN human rights commission, said that members of minority religious groups held high hopes that the court would rule in favor of the plaintiffs, who filed the judicial review request in October last year.

The move was mostly driven by concerns over prevailing discrimination against minority religious groups.

The court is set to issue its ruling next Monday after 49 experts took to the stand to share their views on the 45-year-old law over a marathon 12 hearings held since early February.

Dozens, and on some occasions hundreds of members of hard-line Islamic groups staged rallies in front of the court's office every day there was a hearing.

One of the rallies turned violent on the final day of the hearings when members of the Islamic Defenders Front punched and kicked several members of a team of lawyers for the plaintiffs.

Concerns have been voiced over possible conflicts should the court decide to scrap the law. "This (ruling) is a test of the statesmanship and integrity of the (Constitutional Court) judges to defend the constitution," Hendardi said.

M. Choirul Anam, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said that the Constitutional Court had to ensure that "no certain groups would tarnish the legal process by forcing (the issue)."

In an apparent move to prevent further conflict, the Constitutional Court chief blogged several notices ahead of the verdict reading.

Mahfud M.D. wrote on his personal blog mahfudmd.com late Thursday that the court would be independent in its ruling and "will not be influenced by growing pressure or public opinion outside the court room". "The court can never be pushed around by any group or any form of protest," he wrote.

He also said public support would not affect the court ruling. "The court will present a legal argument and analyze every argument that has been presented by all parties and experts in the hearings."