Nur Hadi, Surabaya – Surabaya District Court has sentenced cleric Alfian Tanjung to two years in prison in a hate speech case. The panel of judges found Alfian guilty of hate speech during a religious event at a mosque in Tanjung Perak in February.
"The defendant is found to have legitimately and convincingly conducted a criminal act of expressing hate or animosity against others based on racial and ethnic discrimination," Surabaya District Court chief judge Dedi Fardiman said.
The judges also ordered an immediate detention of the defendant. The sentence is less than the three years the prosecutors had sought. Following the verdict, Alfian and his lawyers said they will file an appeal.
The case started from a viral YouTube video that was uploaded in February showing Alfian Tanjung preaching in front of a congregation at a mosque accusing that President Jokowi and then-Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) were sympathizers of the banned Communist Party (PKI) and China.