Teacher Abuser Released Early Prompts Nationwide Demand for Safer Schools

A former Islamic boarding‑school teacher in East Java, convicted of sexual assault, was secretly released from prison in August 2025 after serving under half his term, according to a BBC Eye undercover investigation.

Mochamad Subchi Azal Tsani, known as Bechi, was sentenced in 2022 to seven years for raping a student at his father’s Shiddiqiyyah school. The BBC footage shows him greeting supporters at a public event while still technically incarcerated.

The secret parole sparked a nationwide outcry, leading lawmakers to hold a parliamentary hearing into how religious and educational institutions are shielded from accountability.

Victims, including former student Ira Puspitasari, have testified that Bechi abused and tortured them from age 15 for over four years. "I was taken to a secluded hut and beaten," she told the BBC.

The Indonesian Ministry of Immigration and Corrections admitted the release was an error; a subsequent review overturned the parole and returned Bechi to jail. Immigration Minister Agus Andrianto warned that officials responsible will face sanctions.

While the case centres on sexual violence, it underscores the urgent need for safer educational spaces, especially as climate‑related disruptions increasingly strain school infrastructure and community wellbeing.

The BBC’s investigative series "Catching My Teacher" is now available on iPlayer and YouTube for those seeking deeper insight into the failings of Indonesia’s justice system.