Lawyer Comments on KPK Changing Gus Yaqut's Status to House Arrest

The lawyer for former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, or Gus Yaqut, has spoken out regarding the KPK’s decision to change Yaqut’s detention status to house arrest. Yaqut’s lawyer stated that his client has always been cooperative during the investigation into the Hajj quota corruption case. “The KPK has designated Mr Yaqut’s status as house arrest, and naturally, the KPK knows best about their considerations. Clearly, Gus Yaqut has been very cooperative and has always fully supported the KPK’s investigation process,” said Yaqut’s lawyer, Dodi S Abdulkadir, when contacted on Sunday (22/3/2026). Dodi also responded to questions about the reasons the family requested the change in Yaqut’s detention status. Dodi said Yaqut has always supported the legal process carried out by the KPK. “Gus Yaqut fully supports the legal process carried out by the KPK,” he stated. As is known, the KPK has shifted the detention of former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to house arrest. Yaqut received this status after seven days in detention at the KPK Detention Centre. The change in Yaqut’s detention status was not first announced by the KPK. Yaqut’s disappearance from the KPK Detention Centre was initially revealed by the wife of former Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer (Noel), Silvia Rinita Harefa, after visiting Noel during the Eid al-Fitr holiday on Saturday (21/3). After the testimony from Noel’s wife became widely discussed, the KPK then spoke out to explain Yaqut’s whereabouts. On Saturday night (21/3), KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said that Yaqut is currently under house arrest. “It is true that the investigators have changed the type of detention for suspect YCQ from detention at the KPK Detention Centre to house arrest, since Thursday night (19/3),” said Budi on Saturday (21/3). The KPK did not provide clear reasons for the change in Yaqut’s detention status. The KPK only stated that house arrest for Yaqut is temporary. Budi also stated that the shift of Yaqut to house arrest was not due to health factors. Budi said that house arrest for Yaqut was implemented after the KPK received a request from the family. The KPK then approved the request, without providing further details on the family’s reasons for submitting the application. “It is not because of illness. It was indeed due to a request from the family, which we then processed,” Budi explained.