Indonesian Muslims call for Christian governor's arrest in mass rally

Tens of thousands of Muslim protesters descended on the Indonesian capital on Friday to call for the arrest of Jakarta's Christian governor, whom they accuse of insulting Islam.

Protesters dressed in white Islamic skullcaps and robes gathered at a park in central Jakarta as they took part in Friday prayers and chanted slogans calling for Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, popularly known as "Ahok", to be arrested, an epa journalist on the scene reports.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Vice President Jusuf Kalla joined the mass prayers at the National Monument complex, along with a number of senior ministers and officials, according to the Jakarta Globe newspaper.

"Blasphemy is not only prohibited by religion, but also the law," a Muslim preacher told the crowd, as reported by the newspaper.

The allegations against Purnama stem from a video circulated in September in which he made comments that allegedly insulted Islam, the majority religion in Indonesia.......efe.com
2/12/16