Updated April 20, 2017 19:13:57

Photo: Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok. (ABC News: Phil Hemingway)

Prosecutors in the blasphemy case against Jakarta's Governor have demanded he be given two years' probation and jailed for one year if he reoffends.

The sentencing request was heard by the panel of five judges in the North Jakarta District Court, with prosecutors arguing the Governor had caused mass tension and unrest.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who is best known as Ahok, yesterday conceded a likely heavy defeat in the election for the Governorship.

The charge of blasphemy against Ahok relates to comments he made about the Koran when arguing against the notion that Muslims cannot vote for non-Muslim leaders.

Ahok faces up to five years in prison for insulting Islam if found guilty, but it is unusual in Indonesia for judges to sentence above the prosecutor's recommendation.

If the court agrees with the prosecutor and gives Ahok two years' probation, and given likely appeals to higher courts, he will still serve as Governor until the end of his term in October.

If he is found guilty, Ahok's supporters say it will be a loss for Islamic moderation that Indonesia has long been known for, and a win for fringe radical groups.

Outside the hearing, a group of protesters led by radical groups like the Islamic Defenders Front expressed anger at the prosecutors' demand, as they had wanted him jailed for the maximum five years.

The blasphemy charges, that his supporters say are trumped up and designed to end his political career, led to Ahok's rapid fall from grace in the majority-Muslim city.

The Christian and ethnic-Chinese Governor was leading in election polls before the charges were laid.

So-called quick counts of the votes show his opponent Muslim Anies Baswedan will win by a margin of around 15 per cent. The official result will be announced in early May.

The bitterly fought Governor's poll was fought heavily on ground of religion and is seen as a stepping stone for the presidency.

Opponent Anies Baswedan, a former education and cultural minister, had the backing of Prabowo Subianto, who lost in the race for the presidency against Joko Widodo in 2014.

Mr Prabowo is likely to run again for the leadership in the 2019 poll.

"Let's end the divide in Jakarta," he said prior to the poll.

Topics: world-politics, law-crime-and-justice, indonesia, asia

First posted April 20, 2017 16:20:51