Teacher Bechi Sent Back to Jail After BBC Uncovers Secret Early Release

Thu Oct 08 2026 15:14:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Investigations reveal former Indonesian teaching figure, convicted of sexual assault, was secretly released early and now returned to prison.

Mochamad Subchi Azal Tsani, nicknamed Bechi, is a former teacher who assaulted a student at an Islamic boarding school in East Java. After a BBC Eye undercover operation uncovered his secret parole in August 2025, the Indonesian government launched a review that led to his immediate re‑imprisonment. Victims expressed relief and demanded stricter enforcement of justice. The case highlights gaps in the monitoring of influential religious figures and calls for reforms in the correctional and immigration systems.

Teacher Bechi Sent Back to Jail After BBC Uncovers Secret Early Release

Mochamad Subchi Azal Tsani, known in Indonesian news circles as Bechi, is a former teacher who was found guilty of sexually assaulting a student at the Shiddiqiyyah Islamic boarding school in East Java. In 2022 he received a seven‑year prison term, but a BBC Eye undercover operation in 2025 revealed he had been secretly released on parole after serving less than half his sentence.

The BBC found that the victim, whose identity is being protected, had not been notified of Bechi’s early release, violating her legal rights and raising serious questions about the integrity of Indonesia’s parole system.

“I pray that this doesn’t happen to anyone else and that, going forward, the law will be applied justly in Indonesia,” the ex‑student said in a telephone interview with the BBC.

Following public outcry and calls from lawmakers, the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections ordered a comprehensive review. The investigation discovered procedural errors that had allowed Bechi’s parole to be granted. In response, Immigration and Corrections Minister Agus Andrianto announced that “those responsible for approving the parole will face sanctions” and pledged to prevent similar mistakes in the future.

Bechi is the son of prominent Islamic cleric Muhammad Mukhtar Mu’thi, founder of the Shiddiqiyyah boarding school. He was arrested after a 15‑hour police siege at the school, during which supporters surrounded the campus to block his arrest. While prosecutors sought a longer sentence, the court ultimately convicted him of a lesser sexual assault offense and acquitted him of rape charges.

The case has prompted a parliamentary hearing into how religious and educational institutions handle sexual abuse allegations. Lawyers representing victims, such as Joko Jumadi, warned that cases involving influential religious figures are often neglected, and that authorities must act decisively to protect vulnerable students.

For those wishing to watch the BBC’s investigative piece, the short clip titled "Catching My Teacher" is available on YouTube outside the UK. The clip shows Bechi smiling at an event he’s attending while still under custody, a scene that caused former students to burst into tears when they realized the injustice.

Ira Puspitasari, one of several former students who testified against Bechi, said she was raped and abused for over four years starting at age 15. She described how his private security guards tracked her down, took her to a secluded hut, and subjected her to repeated assaults. She praised the investigation’s attention to victim testimony and urged continued vigilance against abuse in educational settings.