Lawyer's Words After Yaqut Allowed to Spend Eid at Home
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has approved 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.
The younger brother of PBNU Chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf was previously reported to have left KPK custody to become a house detainee since Thursday (19/3). In other words, the former Chairman of PP GP Ansor—the youth wing of NU—could celebrate Eid at home on Saturday (21/3).
According to KPK’s statement, Yaqut’s detention was switched to house arrest based on the family’s request, and not due to health factors.
Yaqut’s lawyer, Dodi S Abdulkadir, claimed that only KPK knows the reasons for approving the request to switch his client’s detention to house arrest. He stated that his client has always been cooperative during the investigation into the Hajj quota corruption case handled by KPK.
“KPK has set Mr Yaqut’s status to house arrest, of course KPK knows the considerations best. What is clear is that Gus Yaqut has been very cooperative, always fully supporting the KPK’s investigation process,” said Dodi on Sunday (22/3), as quoted from detik.com.
“Gus Yaqut fully supports the legal process carried out by KPK,” he added.
KPK previously switched Yaqut’s detention to house arrest. The change in status for the former religious affairs minister was made since Thursday (18/3).
“It is true, the investigators have switched the type of detention for suspect YCQ, from detention in KPK’s detention centre to house arrest, since Thursday (18/3) night,” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo on Saturday (21/3).
Budi revealed that the switch in detention status was based on the suspect’s family’s request on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.
“Following that request, it was then reviewed and approved with considerations in accordance with Article 108 paragraphs (1) and (11) of Law Number 20 of 2025 on the Criminal Procedure Code,” he said.
Budi assured that the switch in status was in accordance with procedures.
“We assure that the process of switching detention for this temporary period complies with the provisions and procedures for investigation and detention of a suspect,” he said.
Criticism of alleged special treatment for Yaqut
Previously, news of Yaqut’s release from KPK’s detention centre was revealed through a statement by the wife of the corruption extortion suspect and former Deputy Manpower Minister Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan alias Noel, Silvia Rinita Harefa, when she visited her husband on Saturday (21/3) afternoon. The news was then confirmed by KPK through its spokesperson on Saturday night.
In response, the institution founded by a former anti-corruption agency employee, IM57+ Institute, criticised KPK’s decision to switch Yaqut’s detention.
Chairman of IM57+ Institute Lakso Anindito said that KPK’s decision cannot be seen as ordinary legal action under the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), as the alleged special treatment was only given to Yaqut.
He stated that in KPK’s history, there has never been special treatment for a detainee like this, especially without specific reasons such as the need for special health treatment, which would even require hospitalisation.
“In KPK’s history, there has never been special treatment for someone like this, moreover without specific reasons like the need for special health care that would have to be in a hospital,” said Lakso in a written statement on Sunday.
Lakso assessed that KPK’s action harms the principle of equality before the law. Moreover, Yaqut’s suspect status has been strengthened after the South Jakarta District Court rejected his pre-trial motion.
He said there is a need to investigate the real reasons behind KPK’s action. According to him, President Prabowo Subianto must safeguard KPK’s independence from all potential interventions by various parties.
Lakso warned that KPK’s action should not be done because Yaqut has access to power.
“Independence will be destroyed when there is pressure for special treatment towards a corruption perpetrator through privilege. This will reduce public trust in corruption eradication not only by KPK but also by President Prabowo Subianto,” he said.
Urges KPK Ethics Council to intervene
In agreement, through a separate statement, Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) Boyamin Saiman mocked that KPK has ‘broken a record’ since its establishment in 2003. According to him, this is the first time KPK has approved switching detention status from detention centre to house arrest due to a family request that is not for health reasons.
“KPK has the authority to detain, also the right to switch, and also the right to suspend. And KPK has suspended people who were detained due to illness, the reasons were always strong,” he said in a statement to CNNIndonesia.com.
Even, he continued, suspension due to illness cannot be done just based on a family request, but there must be strong medical evidence. He gave examples of cases involving former Papua Governor Lukas Enembe, North Konawe Regent Aswad Sulaiman, and a mining businessman in West Kalimantan.
“If indeed not detained, or then the detention is suspended to house arrest or whatever, it is because they are truly ill. But in Yaqut’s context, which is not due to illness, I really don’t know what the reason is. So I say [KPK suspect switched to house arrest without health reasons] is a record,” he said.
In addition, Boyamin questioned why KPK approved Yaqut’s detention switch secretly, only revealed 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 the determination of suspect status, detention, to non-detention must be announced to the public.
“Disappointed because it was done secretly. It damages the system and the discrimination that will lead to similar demands from other detainees,” said Boyamin.
“KPK must reinstate the detention. And the KPK Ethics Council must investigate the alleged ethics code violation,” he added.
KPK’s response
Meanwhile, KPK stated that switching Yaqut to house arrest is only temporary.
Refuting allegations of special treatment, KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that all parties