EN.malanginspirasi.com – Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has returned former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to its detention center after temporarily shifting his status to house arrest for several days.
KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo confirmed on Monday, March 23, 2026, that investigators had changed the detention type of the suspect, identified by the initials YCQ, from house arrest back to detention at the KPK’s Rumah Tahanan (Rutan).
“Today, the KPK carried out the process of changing the detention type for suspect YCQ from house arrest back to detention at the KPK Rutan,” Budi said in a written statement on Monday evening.
The move was made to meet the ongoing needs of the investigation.
Yaqut was initially detained at the KPK’s detention facility on the evening of March 12, 2026. However, on the evening of March 19, 2026, the KPK temporarily changed his status to house arrest following a request from his family submitted on March 17.
The decision drew public criticism because it was considered unusual and occurred just before and during the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Yaqut was not seen at the KPK Rutan during Eid prayers, sparking speculation among other detainees and the public.
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The KPK stressed that the house arrest status was only temporary and not granted for health reasons, but based on investigators’ procedural considerations.
Although his status has now been returned to Rutan detention, Yaqut is still undergoing medical examination or health checks at a hospital before being fully transferred back to his cell.
Yaqut Cholil Qoumas was named a suspect in an alleged corruption case involving the management of the 2023–2024 Hajj quota, which is believed to have caused the state losses of up to Rp622 billion (approximately USD 38 million). He was detained after his pretrial challenge was rejected by the South Jakarta District Court.
The investigation into the case is still ongoing. The KPK has not provided further details on the schedule for the next examinations or the possibility of naming additional suspects.
