Indonesian cleric gets jail and fine for flouting Covid-19 curbs (Update)

Muslim cleric Rizieq Shihab (top) was handed the prison term for violating the health quarantine law. - Reuters

JAKARTA (Reuters): An Indonesian court sentenced on Thursday (May 27) hardline Muslim cleric Rizieq Shihab to eight months in prison and fined him 20 million rupiah (US$1,400) for breaching coronavirus curbs after his return last year from self-imposed exile.

A livestream of the court hearing showed Rizieq, the spiritual leader of an outlawed Islamist vigilante group - the Islamic Defender’s Front (FPI) - dressed in a white tunic, turban and face mask, clutching prayer beads.