Indonesian teacher Moch Subchi Azal Tsani released early after sexual assault conviction

Early release in East Java

An undercover investigation by BBC Eye revealed that Moch Subchi Azal Tsani, also known as Bechi, was released from prison after serving less than half of his seven-year sentence for sexual assault. The 46-year-old was the deputy rector and an instructor at the Shiddiqiyyah Islamic boarding school in Jombang, East Java, founded by his father, Muhammad Mukhtar Mukthi. Secret undercover footage showed Bechi living freely well before his scheduled term completion. Indonesia's Ministry of Immigration and Corrections confirmed that Bechi received conditional release on 15 August 2025 through sentence remissions granted under applicable regulations. The ministry stated that it could not disclose the reasons why the sentence was reduced. Under the original judicial sentence, Bechi would have reached the two-thirds threshold for parole eligibility in March 2027, with the full term scheduled to end in 2029.

Standoff and judicial proceedings

Bechi was arrested in July 2022 after a 15-hour police siege at the Jombang boarding school that required nearly 1,000 riot police officers to overcome crowds of family supporters assembled to block his detention. The Indonesian government initially revoked the operational licence of the Shiddiqiyyah institution following the confrontation. Former President Joko Widodo subsequently intervened to maintain the school's operations, maintaining that the legal case concerned an individual rather than the educational institution. During court proceedings later in 2022, state prosecutors requested the maximum penalty of 16 years in prison on rape charges. The court acquitted Bechi of rape and convicted him on the lesser charge of sexual assault, handing down a seven-year prison sentence.

Student allegations and institutional oversight

Multiple female students brought allegations of rape and sexual abuse against Bechi, but only one victim pursued a formal legal case through to conviction. The identity of that student remains protected. Another former student, Ira Puspitasari, testified during the trial regarding abuse that did not result in separate criminal charges, later waiving her legal right to anonymity to speak publicly.

“I was treated as his slave. I was held captive, raped, beaten.”

The release occurred alongside formal warnings from Indonesia's National Commission on Violence against Women, known as Komnas Perempuan, regarding an emergency of sexual violence in Islamic boarding schools. Komnas Perempuan reported that spiritual authority and patriarchal customs wrapped in religious authority create absolute obedience to figures of authority, combined with threats against victims. The commission stated that the influence of religious leaders often shields boarding schools from regulatory oversight and discourages students from reporting misconduct, while BBC Eye uncovered evidence that the school and family attempted to suppress additional accusations.