JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, who was recently imprisoned for blasphemy against Islam in a trial that has divided Indonesia, has withdrawn an appeal of his two-year sentence, his family and defense team said on Tuesday.

Tommy Sihotang, a defense lawyer for Mr. Basuki, said that the case had become too politicized and that “anything could happen” in an appeal — including the possible lengthening of the governor’s sentence, which has happened in other appeals to the Jakarta High Court, or clashes between his supporters and opponents.

“There was no pressure on him,” Mr. Sihotang said. “This is straight from the heart.”

The unexpected decision by Mr. Basuki, who had initially asked to be released while appealing his conviction, could prolong religious and ethnic tensions in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, given that his prosecution was widely viewed as orchestrated by his political rivals using race and ethnicity as weapons.

An appeal of Mr. Basuki’s prison sentence filed by the prosecution, which had requested that he be found guilty of the lesser charge of inciting hatred and had asked for probation, remains in place — for now.