In preventing others from repeating his unlawful acts, Wahid has urged law enforcement agencies, including the prosecutors' office and district court, to bolster deterrence by meting out stringent punishment to Kace.
"Do not allow the blasphemy committed by Kace to be repeated by him or other people, as it may threaten the unity of interfaith communities and the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," Wahid noted in a statement that ANTARA quoted here, Thursday.
Thus, the panel of judges handling Kace’s blasphemy case could later award optimal punishment to have a deterrent effect, Wahid stated.
Wahid referred to Indonesia's blasphemy law (PNPS No.1/1965) and Article 156a of the Criminal Code that carries a maximum five-year term for a person committing a blasphemy-related offense.
The deterrent effect is indispensable to maintain harmony and tolerance among the country's interfaith communities and to avoid the nation from getting dragged by anti-religious individuals into disunity and clashes, he affirmed.
Muhammad Kace was arrested at his hideout in Banjar Untal-Untal Hamlet of Ulang Village, Kuta Utara Sub-district, Badung District, Bali Province, on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. local time.
From the resort island, he was then taken to Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon for questioning, according to Chief of the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department Senior Commissioner Agus Andrianto.
Kace, a former Muslim who has converted to Christianity, was arrested following a police probe into complaints filed by Muslims, who accused him of having repeatedly insulted Islam and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in videos that he uploaded on a YouTube channel.
Kace is also alleged to have intentionally insulted the teachings of Quran and changed the greeting for Muslims.
Prior to his arrest, the Indonesian Communication and Informatics Ministry had disclosed that the content of Kace's videos had violated the rules of Indonesia's Electronic Information and Transaction (ITE) Law.
To prevent the proliferation of blasphemous content on social media platforms, the ministry has provided a special website (https://www.aduankonten.id/), where content violating the law can be reported by the public, officials stated.
Kace's blasphemy case has triggered public outrage over the past few days, with the youth wing of Muhammadiyah, Pemuda Muhammadiyah (PM), urging the police to promptly take action against him.
Muhammadiyah is Indonesia's second-largest Muslim organization after the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
Chairman of the PM-Central Jakarta chapter Akmil Faisal was quoted by CNN Indonesia on Wednesday as saying that he will organize a mass rally if the police did not arrest Kace.
According to CNN Indonesia, Faisal gave the police three days to arrest Kace and called on people to stay calm and continue to maintain unity among interfaith communities in the country.
Related news: MUI lauds police for prompt arrest of blasphemy suspect Kace
Related news: YouTuber Muhammad Kace arrested in blasphemy case
Translator: Rangga PAJ, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
