Jailed teacher convicted of sexual abuse secretly released early in Indonesia, BBC finds
Undercover footage recorded by the BBC reveals he has been released after serving less than half his sentence.
An Indonesian teacher convicted of sexually abusing a student at an Islamic boarding school has been secretly released from prison early, a BBC investigation has revealed. Moch Subchi Azal Tsani, known as Bechi, is the son of a prominent Islamic religious figure. Bechi was initially sentenced to seven years in prison for the lesser charge of sexual assault in 2022 after a 15-hour standoff involving nearly 1,000 riot police.
The government's father's school in East Java was forced to remain open by President Joko Widodo, who maintained it was an individual case rather than a school issue. However, the BBC uncovered new allegations against Bechi, suggesting the school and his family tried to cover them up. Ira Puspitasari, one of the students who testified, claims she was held captive, raped, and beaten by Bechi for over four years starting at age 15.
She also alleges Bechi's mother threatened her into withdrawing her police report. The BBC's undercover footage shows Bechi smiling and greeting supporters at an event in March after his release, contradicting the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections' claim that he was released due to sentence remissions. Former student Nun Sayuti, who supported the case, expresses disappointment at Bechi's early release, stating it violates victims' rights.
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