Nearly no one who has been charged under the blasphemy law has ever escaped conviction, associate professor of Indonesian politics at the Australian National University Greg Fealy told CNN.
The five-judge panel said he was "convincingly proven guilty of blasphemy" and ordered his arrest.
The two-year prison sentence was a surprise outcome after prosecutors had recommended two years of probation.
Photos quickly appeared online of Ahok, who still commands enormous popularity in Jakarta being warmly greeted by prison staff. Ahok said he would appeal, but it was unclear if he would be released once that process is underway. The maximum sentence is four years in prison.
If Purnama's appeals failed, he would be prevented from holding public office under Indonesian law because the offense carried a maximum penalty of five years, said Simon Butt of the Centre for Asian and Pacific Law at the University of Sydney.
A police officer stands guard during a protest by supporters of Jakarta Gov. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who is popularly known as "Ahok", outside Cipinang Prison following his conviction of blasphemy on Tuesday.
Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, had criticised his opponents' use of the Koran in political campaigning ahead of the election for governor past year.
Indonesia is the world's most-populous Muslim country.
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Ahok continually denied the charges, and said his comments were aimed at politicians "incorrectly" using the Koranic verse against him, as reported by The Gospel Herald, and insisted his alleged remarks were not directed at the verse itself.
The AsiaNews service quoted Justina Rostiawait, president of the Indonesian Catholic Women's Association, as saying: "The judges' verdict has been massively influenced by the corrupt political situation in Indonesia".
Human Rights Watch's Andreas Harsono described the verdict as "a huge setback" for Indonesia's record of tolerance and for minorities.
Other judges supported the blasphemy charge, saying that "the defendant didn't feel guilt", "caused anxiety and hurt Muslims," and should not have used "words with negative connotations regarding the symbols of religions", according to the Guardian.
An Associated Press journalist at the prison said some were pushing hard against a gate, trying to knock it down.
He said, "We can understand but we cannot accept the verdict. Therefore we will appeal".
However, President Joko Widodo, an ally of Purnama, has urged restraint over the trial and called for all sides to respect the legal process.
Despite his enduring popularity with many in Jakarta for his efforts to improve living standards, he lost to conservative Muslim candidate Anies Rasyid Baswedan.
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