Hardjoatmodjo visited Hasto Kristiyanto, secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), at a detention facility in the national capital, Jakarta, on April 14.
Kristiyanto was arrested and detained earlier this year on corruption charges levelled by Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
He is accused of helping a former party member, Harun Masiku, bribe an election commissioner to get a parliamentary seat and obstructing justice by helping him to go into hiding to evade a criminal charge.
Following the hour-long visit, the cardinal said it was a pastoral visit for all Catholic prisoners.
"One of my responsibilities is to always pay attention to our brothers and sisters who are in difficult situations. Being in detention is certainly difficult," he said.
He also said he was following the example of Pope Francis who routinely visits prisoners before Easter.
The prelate also added that his visit was related to the Catholic Church's Jubilee Year themed Pilgrim of Hope.
"We are all pilgrims of hope, and Mr. Hasto also spoke about that hope. One sign of hope is visiting our brothers and sisters who are in detention," said the cardinal.
He also admitted to having a long-standing personal relationship with Hasto's family.
The visit sparked criticism from activists who said the gesture was “politically motivated.”
Albertus Emanuel Setu, a Catholic and political analyst, said the visit was "very unfortunate, especially when linked to the context of the Easter spirit."
Jesus was crucified despite being innocent, but Kristiyanto faces legal charges for crimes he committed, said the member of Vox Point Indonesia, a lay organization on socio-political activism.
Setu said that if the cardinal was concerned about visiting Christian detainees as a pastoral gesture he should have met with other jailed Christians.
Two high-profile Christian politicians — former communication and information minister, Johnny Gerad Plate, and former trade minister, Tom Lembong, are also awaiting trial.
"Have they ever been visited in the course of their ministry? This is a hanging question for Catholics. Why are they being differentiated in pastoral ministry," Albertus said.
Some Catholics also criticized the visit on social media, saying it had more political connotations rather than a pastoral visit.
The PDI-P won the legislative election on Feb. 14 last year. However, the party’s president and vice-president candidates, Ganjar Pranowo and Mahfud MD conceded defeat to Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the son of two-time former president Joko Widodo.
Despite being a PDI-P member Widodo backed former general Subianto for president, reportedly to smoothen the political future of his son, causing a rift within the party.
The party officially dismissed Widodo, his son Raka and his son-in-law, North Sumatra governor-elect Bobby Nasution, in December.
Some alleged the charge against Kristiyanto is politically motivated as Widodo’s ouster widened the rift between him and the party chief and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The criticism prompted the cardinal to issue a note of clarification on April 14, saying his visit was "in the context of a ministry assignment" and not related to politics.
Soekarnoputri has also questioned the motive behind the charges against Hasto Kristiyanto.
"Doesn't the KPK have anything else to do? The only thing they focus on is Mr Hasto," she said during a party event in January. She also called for the prosecution of others accused of electoral fraud.
After Kristiyanto was named a suspect for electoral fraud in December, the Jakarta archbishop indirectly mentioned the political motive
During a press conference on Dec. 27, he said that “corruption is now often used as a tool to trip up certain parties for personal or group interests” and dismissed such acts as “rotten politics.”