Jakarta. Hasto Kristiyanto, secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), remained defiant as his corruption trial commenced on Friday, claiming he was a political detainee targeted for his outspoken criticism of the government.

Speaking to the media before the opening hearing, Hasto accused the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) of being used as a political tool to silence opposition figures.

"This is nothing more than the criminalization of a citizen to serve the interests of those in power. I am a political detainee," Hasto declared at the Central Jakarta District Court.

Bribery and Obstruction of Justice Charges
During the courtroom proceedings, prosecutors charged Hasto with bribing a senior election official to secure a House of Representatives seat for fellow PDI-P politician Harun Masiku after the 2019 general elections.

He was also indicted for obstruction of justice, accused of instructing Harun to evade arrest and destroying his cellphone to prevent detection by the KPK. Harun has remained a fugitive since being named a suspect in 2020.

According to prosecutors, Hasto and Harun paid General Election Commission (KPU) Commissioner Wahyu Setiawan 57,350 Singaporean dollars ($42,938) and Rp 600 million ($36,633) in exchange for the seat.

The seat became available following the death of an elected PDI-P lawmaker from the South Sumatra electoral district. Initially, it was set to be reallocated to Riezky Aprillia, the second-highest-ranking PDI-P candidate in the district, until the bribe was allegedly paid to alter the decision.

"The payment was made to influence Wahyu Setiawan, in violation of his oath as a KPU commissioner, to shift the vacant House seat from Riezky Aprillia to Harun Masiku," prosecutors stated.

PDI-P and Jokowi
Hasto, widely regarded as the right-hand man of PDI-P Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, has repeatedly insisted that the charges against him are politically motivated. He claims his prosecution is retaliation for his criticism of former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo.

Jokowi, once aligned with PDI-P, fell out with the party after shifting his support in last year’s presidential election to Prabowo Subianto, a move seen as a betrayal of the party that helped him secure two presidential terms.

The rift deepened when Jokowi’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was selected as Prabowo’s running mate, despite previously winning the Solo mayoral election with PDI-P’s backing.

The KPK has denied any political interference in Hasto’s prosecution, maintaining that the charges are based on evidence collected during a years-long investigation.

Despite the allegations, Hasto continues to assert his innocence, arguing that his actions did not result in any financial losses to the state.