A boarding school headmaster in Indonesia has been sentenced to death for raping 13 people

A boarding school headmaster has been sentenced to death in Indonesia for raping at least 13 students and making some of them pregnant.

Harry Wirawan raped 11- to 14-year-old girls from 2016 to 2021 in a school, hotel or rented apartment in Bandung.

The rape resulted in the birth of at least nine children and the case has sparked outrage among the public.

Bandung High Court judges on Monday granted the prosecutor’s appeal for the death sentence, ruling: “What he has done has caused trauma and pain to the victims and their parents.

“The defendant tarnished the reputation of the Islamic boarding school.”

Wirawan’s assets will also be confiscated, including a foundation owned by him, and auctioned off to benefit the victims and their children.

The judges also ruled that the nine children born to the victims should be handed over to the Child and Women’s Protection Agency with a periodic assessment “until the victims are mentally prepared to take care of their children and the situation allows their children to return.” Victim “.

Irawan’s lawyer Ira Mambo said he would advise his client to appeal the sentence to the Supreme Court. They have seven days before the court’s decision is final.

Wirawan pleaded guilty and apologized to his victims and their families during the trial.

In January, President Joko Widodo said he was concerned about sexual harassment at Islamic boarding schools and called on parliament to speed up negotiations on a bill on sexual violence.

Conservative lawmakers and Islamist groups want the bill to include a ban on extramarital sex and homosexuality.