Supporters of Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, also known as Ahok, stage a protest outside Cipinang Prison, where he was taken following his conviction of blasphemy.
The minority Christian governor is now on trial on acc.
Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen, reporting from Jakarta on Sunday, said critics of Purnama celebrated outside the court after the sentencing, which has been harsher than expected.
In what is being called a "sad day for Indonesia", the Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama - better known by his nickname Ahok, has been sentenced to two years in prison by a court that found him guilty of blaspheming the Quran.
The five-judge panel ordered Ahok's immediate arrest. Reuters reports that Ahok was taken to a prison in east Jakarta where, according to his lawyer Tommy Sihotang, he would remain "despite his appeal process unless a higher court suspended it".
Purnama was hauled into court a year ago to face trial for allegedly insulting Islam while campaigning for re-election in a case critics said was politically motivated.
Purnama lost a re-election bid in last month's gubernatorial election to a Muslim candidate, Anies Baswedan.
Hardline Islamist groups, whose supporters were also gathered outside the courtroom, had called for the maximum penalty possible on the basis that Purnama's comments had insulted the Quran.
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Rights groups fear that they are amidst a surge of religious intolerance in a country where most Muslims practice a moderate form of Islam and is home to sizeable communities of Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and people who adhere to local beliefs such as Animism.
Thousands of police have been deployed in the capital because of tension between Purnama's supporters and opponents.
"If someone like Ahok is jailed for blasphemy, what will happen to other minorities in Indonesia?" he asked.
Ahok rose from deputy governor in 2014 after Jokowi vacated the capital's governorship following his victory in Indonesia's presidential election that year.
Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country with 87% of the population, or more than 200 million people, saying they are followers of Islam. He is due to hand over to Baswedan in October.
"We hope the sentence given will be heavier than what has been called for", said Novel Bamukmin, spokesman for the Islamic Defenders Forum (FPI), a conservative Islamic group that was instrumental in organizing mass protests against Purnama seeking re-election.
The ruling came among growing concern about the increasing influence of Islamist groups in the country.
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