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Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Maintains Innocence After Court Rejects Legal Challenge
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Crime & Justice

Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Maintains Innocence After Court Rejects Legal Challenge

From CNN Indonesia · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement In the courts
  • A court rejected a preliminary legal objection filed by Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, the former Religious Affairs Minister accused of hajj quota corruption.
  • Yaqut stated that his legal challenge was a protected right and expressed optimism about the upcoming trial phases.
  • The case will now proceed to the evidence presentation stage, with Yaqut hoping the judges will consider the facts surrounding his decisions on additional hajj quotas.

Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, the former Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs, has reaffirmed his commitment to cooperating with the legal process after his preliminary legal objection was rejected by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) court. The court ruled that the core issues of his alleged involvement in hajj quota corruption would be addressed during the main trial, not in this preliminary phase.

This is not the final decision, but a legal step we took and is guaranteed by law.

— Yaqut Cholil QoumasFormer Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas commenting on the court's rejection of his preliminary objection.

"This is not the final decision, but a legal step we took and is guaranteed by law," Yaqut stated following the court's decision. He emphasized that the legal challenge was a procedural right and expressed his belief that justice would ultimately prevail. Yaqut is accused of corruption related to the distribution of additional hajj quotas during his tenure.

Of course, I hope the trial will be assessed in its entirety, yes. On what basis, what authority, the authority I had at the time as Minister of Religious Affairs, then the policies taken, then considering the service and safety of the pilgrims. We hope this will be assessed in its entirety.

— Yaqut Cholil QoumasYaqut Cholil Qoumas expressing his hope for a comprehensive review of his actions during the trial.

The case will now move to the evidentiary stage, where prosecutors will present their evidence, and the defense will mount its case. Yaqut expressed hope that the judges would thoroughly review the facts, including his authority as minister and the rationale behind his decisions concerning the allocation of 10,000 additional quotas for special hajj and 10,000 for regular hajj.

So, the point is, be ready to follow the trial process well cooperatively, and we will present the facts that what is accused will be answered clearly.

— Yaqut Cholil QoumasYaqut Cholil Qoumas stating his intention to actively participate and present facts during the trial.

He specifically asked the court to consider the context of serving the pilgrims' needs and ensuring their safety when evaluating his actions. Yaqut remains confident that the facts will demonstrate the legitimacy of his decisions and expects a fair hearing. "InsyaAllah, I am confident, I put my trust in Allah," he concluded, signaling his readiness to face the trial.

Although justice sometimes comes a bit late. InsyaAllah, I am confident, I put my trust in Allah.

— Yaqut Cholil QoumasYaqut Cholil Qoumas expressing his faith and belief in eventual justice.
About this summary

Originally published by CNN Indonesia in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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