KPK States Others Can Also Apply for House Arrest Like Yaqut

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has granted the family’s request to place the suspect in the hajj quota allocation case, former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, under house arrest. He stated that the transfer to house arrest is only temporary and is not due to Yaqut’s health condition. The younger brother of PBNU General Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf was previously reported to have left KPK custody for house arrest since Thursday (19/3). Refuting claims of special treatment, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said that all parties can actually apply for house arrest. “The request [for transfer to house arrest] can be submitted,” Budi told journalists in Jakarta on Sunday (22/3), as quoted from Antara. Furthermore, Budi said, the request will be examined by KPK investigators as the authority for detention lies with them. “It will then be reviewed by the investigators because the authority for detention is with the investigators,” he explained. It is known that Yaqut Cholil was named as one of the suspects in the alleged corruption case related to Indonesia’s 2023-2024 hajj quota by KPK on 9 January 2026. On 12 March 2026, KPK detained Yaqut at the KPK’s Red and White Building Branch State Detention House after his pre-trial was rejected on 11 March 2026. The case is said by the Financial Audit Board (BPK) of Indonesia to have caused state losses of up to Rp622 billion. Yaqut’s exit from KPK detention to house arrest was initially exposed by the wife of the corruption extortion suspect, former Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan alias Noel, Silvia Rinita Harefa. Silvia conveyed this in response to reporters’ questions after visiting her husband who is in KPK custody. Silvia told the journalists waiting for her that there was information circulating among the detainees about Yaqut Cholil not being seen in the state detention house or rutan. “Earlier, I didn’t see Gus Yaqut. The info is, apparently he left on Thursday night (19/3),” said Silvia on Saturday (21/3) afternoon. She continued that she received information that Yaqut was also not seen during the Eid al-Fitr prayer on 21 March 2026. “According to people inside, he’s not there. He’s not there,” she said. When further confirmed whether only her husband in KPK detention knew this information, she said all detainees knew. “Everyone knows about it. They just wonder. Apparently there was an examination, but it’s impossible to have an examination on the eve of Takbiran night. Even until today (Saturday, 21/3) there isn’t any,” she said. Therefore, she suggested that journalists verify the information she received. “You guys try to find more info. That’s the info,” she said. Responding to that statement, on Saturday night, KPK confirmed to Silvia that Yaqut Cholil has been under house arrest since Thursday night, 19 March 2026. In his statement on Saturday night, Budi said Yaqut became under house arrest after his family requested it to KPK on 17 March 2026. “Following that request, it was then reviewed and granted considering Article 108 paragraphs (1) and (11) of Law Number 20 of 2025 on the Criminal Procedure Code,” he said last night, as quoted from detik.com. Budi also emphasised that KPK will continue to monitor Yaqut during his house arrest status. “During the implementation of this detention transfer, KPK will continue to conduct close supervision and security for the person concerned,” he said. In addition, he assured that the procedure for Yaqut’s detention transfer to house arrest is only temporary. “We assure that this temporary detention transfer process complies with the provisions and procedures for investigation and detention of a suspect,” said Budi on Saturday night. Yaqut was named a suspect in the 2023-2024 hajj quota corruption case in early January 2026. Yaqut once challenged his suspect status from KPK to the court. However, Yaqut’s pre-trial lawsuit was rejected by the judge. KPK then detained Yaqut on Thursday (12/3). However, KPK’s granting of the house arrest transfer request without health reasons has invited criticism. Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) Boyamin Saiman criticised KPK for ‘breaking the record’ since its establishment in 2003. According to him, this is the first time KPK has granted a transfer from detention house to house arrest due to a family request not for health reasons. “KPK has the authority to detain, also the right to transfer, and also the right to suspend. And KPK has suspended detained people due to illness, the reasons are always strong,” he said in a statement to CNNIndonesia.com. Even, he continued, suspending due to illness cannot be done just based on a family request, but there must be strong medical evidence. He exemplified the cases of former Papua Governor Lukas Enembe, North Konawe Regent Aswad Sulaiman, to a mining businessman in West Kalimantan. “If indeed not detained, or then the detention is suspended to house arrest or whatever, it’s because they are really sick. But in the context of Yaqut who is not because of illness, I really don’t know what the reason is. So I say it’s a record,” he said. In addition, Boyamin questioned KPK’s reason for granting Yaqut’s detention secretly, which only came to light to the public on Saturday from Noel’s wife’s statement. According to him, it is strictly regulated in the KPK Law regarding the principle of transparency so that the determination of suspects, detention, to non-detention must be announced to the public. “Disappointed because it was done secretly. It damages the system and discrimination that will trigger similar demands from other detainees,” said Boyamin. “KPK must re-detain. And the KPK Ethics Council must investigate alleged code of ethics violations,” he added.