Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Placed Under House Arrest, ICW Warns of Potential Evidence Tampering

Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas is now under house arrest. Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) deems this step highly risky due to the potential for evidence tampering in the investigation into the alleged corruption of the 2024 Hajj quota.

Head of ICW’s Legal and Investigation Division, Wana Alamsyah, emphasised that house arrest status provides suspects with greater freedom of movement compared to detention in a correctional facility. This is feared to disrupt the case’s proof process.

“Suspects have the potential to damage and eliminate evidence, or influence witnesses when under house arrest. This must be anticipated,” Wana stated in a written release on Sunday (22/3).

Wana explained that the KPK has traditionally been very strict in granting detention transfer permissions. Such policies are usually only taken for crucial health reasons. If the reasons for Yaqut’s transfer are not disclosed transparently, ICW views it as a form of privilege for corruption suspects.

“The KPK must provide a transparent explanation regarding the reasons YCQ (Yaqut Cholil Qoumas) was transferred. If not, this will become a bad precedent for eradicating corruption in Indonesia,” he added.

Previously, information about Yaqut’s disappearance from the KPK Detention Centre was revealed by the wife of former Deputy Manpower Minister Immanuel Ebenezer (Noel), Silvia Rinita Harefa, after visiting Noel at the KPK Detention Centre during Eid on Saturday (21/3/2026). Silvia said that her husband and other KPK detainees had not seen Yaqut in custody since Thursday (19/3).

KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo explained that Yaqut’s detention status has now changed to house arrest. He clarified that the transfer of Yaqut’s detention status was not due to health conditions.

“Not because of illness,” Budi told reporters on Sunday (22/3/2026).

ICW urges the KPK Supervisory Board to examine the anti-corruption agency’s leadership after transferring former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas’s detention status from correctional facility to house arrest.

ICW criticises the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for transferring former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas’s detention status from the Detention House (Rutan) to house arrest.