Rembang, Central Java. The speaker of a local legislature in Central Java has been absent since May 31, when he took leave to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. However, he has not returned, even though other registered pilgrims arrived home weeks ago.

Supadi, the speaker of the legislative council in Rembang regency, is being detained by Saudi authorities for misusing his visa to perform the religious ritual, his colleague said.

“I received information that [Supadi] has been detained since June 9,” said deputy speaker Bisri Cholil Lagouf.

Bisri said he had contacted Foreign Affairs Ministry officials to get information about Supadi’s whereabouts. He alleged that Supadi traveled to Saudi Arabia on a religious tourism visa, while the Hajj pilgrimage strictly requires a special visa.

“The religious tourism visa has been suspended since May 23 to allow authorities to prepare for the pilgrimage,” Bisri said.

According to Bisri, Supadi attended a preliminary court hearing on June 3 and a second hearing on June 11. He mentioned that he had tried to call Supadi’s cellphone multiple times but received no response.

The Rembang religious affairs department confirmed that Supadi was not registered as a regular pilgrim or as a member of the local Hajj management team.

Indonesia sent more than 200,000 Muslims to the ritual in Saudi Arabia’s holy cities of Mecca and Medina last month, while millions of others remain on the waiting list.

There have been many cases of Indonesian Muslims attempting to perform the pilgrimage outside the regular scheme. However, Saudi authorities have begun to impose stricter procedures, allowing entry to the holy cities only for those with a Hajj visa during the pilgrimage season.

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