On 27 September 2016, while introducing a government project to citizens of the Thousand Islands, Ahok said some citizens would not vote for him because they were being "threatened and deceived" by those using the verse Al-Ma'ida 51 of the Qur'an and variations of it. The provincial government of Jakarta uploaded the video recording to YouTube in a channel which often featured Ahok's activities. The video was later edited by a university lecturer, Buni Yani, and one word was omitted from that video, creating a misinterpretation of Ahok's statement. The video went viral, with some citizens considering it an insult to the Quran.
On 9 May 2017, Ahok was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of blasphemy and inciting violence. The panel of judges rejected his defence that he referred to a Quranic verse to highlight political discrimination. Based on the court hearing, the panel of judges said that his Thousand Islands speech contained elements of blasphemy.
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Okezone)