Hasto Sentenced to 3.5 Years in Prison After Being Convicted of Accepting Bribes

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Although it was not proven that he obstructed the investigation, the Secretary General of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Hasto Kristiyanto, was found guilty of accepting bribes in the process of the interim replacement of a member of the DPR for Harun Masiku. He was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and fined Rp 250 million, with a subsidiary of three months in confinement.

The verdict against Hasto was read by the panel of judges of the Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday (25/7/2025). The panel consisted of Rios Rahmanto as the chair, accompanied by Sunoto and Sigit Herman Binaji.

By being proven to have accepted bribes, Hasto violated Article 5 Paragraph 1 Letter a of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes (UU Tipikor). Regarding other charges, namely obstructing investigations or violations of Article 21 of the UU Tipikor, the judge found that Hasto was not proven to have committed such acts.

Previously, Hasto was prosecuted by the public prosecutor for a 7-year prison sentence and a fine of IDR 600 million, with a subsidiary of 6 months in detention, for being found guilty of obstructing the investigation in accordance with Article 21 of the Anti-Corruption Law and accepting bribes in accordance with Article 5 Paragraph 1 Letter a of the Anti-Corruption Law.

In its considerations, the judge mentioned several aggravating circumstances. Hasto's actions were deemed not to support the government's program in combating corruption.

"The defendant's actions could also damage the image of the election organizing body, which should be independent and have integrity," said the judge.

Meanwhile, the mitigating factors for the sentence include the defendant's polite demeanor during the trial, having no prior convictions, having family dependents, and having served the country through various public positions previously held.

This case is a result of the development of a hand-catching operation (OTT) by the KPK on January 8, 2020, targeting former KPU Commissioner Wahyu Setiawan. Wahyu is suspected of receiving bribes to facilitate Harun Masiku's appointment as a member of the DPR, replacing Nazarudin Kiemas who has passed away.

In the development of the case, the KPK has named four suspects, namely Wahyu Setiawan (the recipient of the bribe), Agustiani Tio Fridelina (a former member of the Bawaslu, intermediary), Saeful Bahri (PDI-P staff, the briber), and Harun Masiku (the briber). However, Harun Masiku has evaded capture, and his whereabouts remain a mystery to this day. Since January 17, 2020, he has officially been designated as a fugitive and has been placed on the wanted list (DPO).

The name Hasto Kristiyanto has actually been mentioned since the beginning of the trial in the case in 2020. In the indictment against Saeful Bahri, the prosecutor stated that Hasto approved an operational fund of Rp 850 million to manage the appointment of Harun Masiku at the General Election Commission.

Several witnesses in the trial also mentioned Hasto's name. Nevertheless, for years, Hasto has consistently denied his involvement. He asserted that he has never been involved in such bribery practices and stated that the matter of interim replacement (PAW) is a technical domain of the party.

A wind of change began to blow when Nawawi Pomolango took office as the Acting Chairman of the KPK at the end of 2023. The KPK appeared more aggressive in tracing back the footsteps of Harun Masiku.

The peak was the summoning of Hasto Kristiyanto as a witness in June 2024. This examination became the main focus due to Hasto's status as the secretary general of the ruling political party.

The moment of the examination intensified when investigators seized the phone and notebook belonging to Hasto from his aide, Kusnadi. The seizure was said to have occurred inappropriately and added to the heated drama of the examination.

After a series of intensive examinations, the KPK officially designated Hasto Kristiyanto as a suspect at the end of December 2024. He is not charged in a bribery case, but rather with the alleged obstruction of justice in accordance with Article 21 of the Anti-Corruption Law. Hasto is suspected of deliberately concealing information and protecting the whereabouts of Harun Masiku.

In conjunction with this, Hasto has also been designated as a suspect in the bribery case concerning the management of DPR members for the 2019-2024 period. He is suspected of contributing funds and coordinating the process of delivering bribes through his associates, Saeful Bahri and Donny Tri Istiqomah. In his status as a suspect, Hasto was also previously interrogated on January 13, 2025, for four hours.

At the end of December 2025, Hasto Kristiyanto was officially detained by the KPK. Hasto did not immediately accept the designation and detention of himself as a suspect. He filed a pretrial motion to the South Jakarta District Court.

Hasto pursued legal action by filing a pretrial lawsuit at the South Jakarta District Court in February to challenge his suspect status. The legal representatives argued that the determination of his suspect status was political, premature, and not based on sufficient evidence. They requested the judge to annul the suspect status and order the KPK to release Hasto from detention.

However, Sole Judge Djuyamto at the South Jakarta District Court, Thursday (13/2/2025), read the verdict stating that the pretrial application was not accepted. This rejection dashed Hasto's hopes of escaping the KPK's pursuit. Nevertheless, he did not give up and refiled the pretrial application.

In the midst of the second pretrial process for Hasto, in early March 2025, the KPK announced that the case file was ready to proceed to the prosecution stage. The following day, Hasto's case file along with the evidence was immediately transferred to the court. The KPK attributed the swift transition from investigation to prosecution and then to court to the fact that the case had been handled for a long time. With the transfer of the case to the court, the second pretrial effort was automatically rendered void.

Hasto Kristiyanto sat in the defendant's chair for the first time on March 14, 2025. The public prosecutor charged Hasto Kristiyanto with obstructing the investigation process by instructing Harun Masiku to submerge a mobile phone, thereby hindering the legal proceedings.

The Secretary-General of PDI-P has been charged as the mastermind behind the bribery involving the management of DPR members for the 2019-2024 period, which also implicated former KPU member, Wahyu Setiawan. Following the reading of the indictment, Hasto's legal team, led by Todung Mulya Lubis, immediately filed an objection or exception. Several PDI-P elites were also present to provide moral support.

Less than four months since the first hearing, specifically on July 3, 2025, Hasto Kristiyanto was sentenced to 7 years in prison and a fine of Rp 600 million, with a subsidiary of 6 months' imprisonment. The prosecutor deemed Hasto guilty of jointly committing corruption and obstructing the investigation into the bribery case concerning the appointment of Harun Masiku as a member of the DPR for the 2019-2024 period, replacing Nazaruddin Kiemas. However, during the trial, Hasto denied the allegations.

Not only that, the prosecutor assessed that Hasto's actions also did not support the government's efforts in combating corruption. As mitigating factors, the prosecutor considered that the defendant behaved respectfully during the trial, has family responsibilities, and has no prior convictions.

The public prosecutor revealed that Hasto played an active role in the management of the PAW for Harun Masiku. This effort was made by the defendant by calling and asking Riezky to resign from his position as a member of the DPR. To Riezky, Hasto also stated that he would withhold the inauguration invitation until Riezky was willing to resign. However, Riezky rejected Hasto's request and proceeded with the inauguration.

Defendant Hasto Kristiyanto alleged that the legal case against him is a legal fabrication laden with political interests. He also denied the prosecutor's accusations that he had conspired to commit corruption and obstruct the investigation into the bribery case concerning the appointment of Harun Masiku as a member of the DPR for the 2019-2024 period.

His personal plea is 105 pages long and titled "Challenging Justice." Meanwhile, the plea from his legal advisory team is 3,550 pages long. The hearing on July 10 was presided over by Chief Judge Rios Rahmanto.

On July 15, the prosecutor presented a rebuttal that remained consistent with the initial charges. The most crucial dynamic in this rebuttal was the prosecutor's acknowledgment that there was indeed no direct evidence in the form of recordings or photographs showing Hasto physically meeting Harun Masiku.

However, the prosecutor emphasized that the series of circumstantial evidence, ranging from witness statements, telecommunications data, to the flow of funds to third parties, indicates that Hasto is the mastermind behind Harun's secure position.

On July 18, 2025, it was Hasto's turn to present a rebuttal. The legal team highlighted the prosecutor's acknowledgment of the absence of direct evidence. They argued that the prosecutor had completely failed to prove malicious intent (mens rea) and had only constructed a narrative based on assumptions. Without direct evidence, they contended, the charges should be dismissed by law.

Three days before the reading of the verdict for Hasto, specifically on Tuesday (22/7/2025), the Coordinator of the Academic Alliance for Justice, which consists of several prominent figures and academics from various universities and colleges, such as Prof. Franz Magnis-Suseno (STF Driyarkara), Prof. Maria W Sumardjono (UGM), Prof. Ramlan Surbakti (Unair), Prof. Sulistyowati Irianto (UI), and Marzuki Darusman (Attorney General 1999-2001), submitted an amicus curiae or friend of the court brief to the panel of judges of the Central Jakarta Corruption Court.

In a document received by Kompas, the Independent Academic Alliance stated that the prosecution of Hasto Kristiyanto was riddled with irregularities and raised significant concerns. They assessed that the case appeared to be a criminalization and prosecution based more on political motives than legal ones.

The argument is reinforced by the alleged weakness of the evidence and the forced examination procedures by the KPK. Furthermore, Hasto is also a political party figure who is critical of the administration of the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, thus the prosecution against Hasto is seen as an attempt to attack a political opponent and maintain power.

They argue that if the judge does not acquit Hasto, it will send a negative signal regarding the independence of the judiciary and democracy in Indonesia. Prosecution based on political motives can undermine public trust in the judicial system and destroy judicial independence.

The Academic Alliance for Justice requests the panel of judges to consider their views as Court Friends in order to examine, decide, and adjudicate the case objectively, fairly, and based on the principles of law and the applicable regulations in Indonesia.