An Indonesian teacher named Moch Subchi Azal Tsani, known as Bechi, has been discovered to have been released from prison significantly earlier than expected, according to findings by BBC investigators. Bechi, age 46, was arrested in 2022 at an Islamic boarding school in East Java following a large police operation involving nearly 1,000 riot police. He was subsequently sentenced to seven years in prison later that year on charges of sexual assault against a student.
According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, Bechi was released in August 2025 based on sentence remission regulations, though the ministry stated it could not explain the specific reasons for the sentence reduction. The early release is notable as Bechi would have been eligible for parole around March 2027 and would not have been released at the end of his full sentence until 2029. BBC undercover footage captured Bechi at events in January and March of this year, appearing in public while wearing a mask.
The case has drawn significant attention within Indonesia due to ongoing concerns about sexual violence in Islamic boarding schools. The National Commission on Violence against Women has characterized the situation as an emergency, noting that the influence of religious leaders has prevented adequate oversight of these institutions and discouraged abuse reporting. Court records reviewed by the BBC indicate that multiple female students made allegations of sexual assault and rape against Bechi, though only one pursued a legal case that resulted in conviction. Prosecutors had sought the maximum sentence of 16 years on rape charges, but the court found Bechi not guilty of rape and convicted him on the lesser charge of sexual assault.
Multiple former students have come forward to describe their experiences. One student reported experiencing abuse over more than four years beginning at age 15, including allegations of rape and physical abuse. Another former student indicated she collected testimonies from at least 10 other female students alleging sexual assault or rape. A discrepancy has emerged regarding notification of Bechi’s release to protected witnesses and victims, with the witness protection agency disputing the ministry’s position that notification was unnecessary because Bechi remains on parole.
The Shiddiqiyyah Islamic boarding school’s operating licence was initially withdrawn following the conviction, though President Joko Widodo intervened to allow the school to remain open. The BBC contacted Bechi, his mother, and the school for comment but received no response.
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