Moch Subchi Azal Tsani, also known as Bechi, an Indonesian teacher convicted of sexually assaulting a student, has been secretly released from prison early. A BBC Eye investigation found that Bechi, who is the son of an influential Islamic religious leader, was released in August 2025, having served less than half of his seven-year sentence.
Bechi was arrested in 2022 and sentenced later that year. Prosecutors had sought a 16-year sentence for rape, but he was convicted of the lesser charge of sexual assault. Indonesia's Ministry of Immigration and Corrections stated that Bechi was released due to "sentence remissions granted to him in accordance with applicable regulations," but did not specify why his sentence was reduced.
Witnesses who testified in the trial, including the student he was convicted of assaulting, were reportedly not informed of Bechi's release. Ira Puspitasari, another former student who testified, told the BBC she was stunned by undercover footage of Bechi at an event in March, as she believed he was still in prison.
The National Commission on Violence against Women has warned of an "emergency" of sexual violence in Islamic boarding schools, stating that the power of religious leaders may shield these institutions from oversight.