Henry Wirawan, a teacher, on Monday was sentenced to death by an Indonesian court for raping 13 girls at an Islamic school.
Teacher Wirawan’s case had shocked Indonesia, and emphasises the need to protect children from sexual violence in the country’s religious boarding schools.
After a court in the city of Bandung sentenced him to life improvement in February, prosecutors who had called for the death penalty filed an appeal.
In a statement released on Monday, on Bandung High Court’s website said, (we) hereby punish the defendant with death penalty.”
It’s Mambo, Wirawan’s Lawyer, had refused to make a comment on whether there would be an appeal, citing a need to see he full ruling from the court.
A spokesman for the local prosecutor’s office also said it would make a comment after it received the final reading.
Wirawan’s abuse came to light when a female student’s family reported him to the police for raping and impregnating their teenage daughter last year.
It was revealed , during his trial, Wirawan had raped female students – many from poor families and attending on scholarship – over a period of five years, impregnating at least eight.
Between 2016 and 2021, Wirawan sexually groomed the 13 girls, who were between 12 and 16 years old, impregnated eight of his victims, a judge said in February.
The calls for death penalty is backed by Indonesian officials, including the child protection Minister. Although the nation’s human right commission opposed to the death penalty, said it was not appropriate.