Various groups, including teachers' associations and politicians, have rallied behind Supriyani, using the hashtag #SaveSupriyani to express their solidarity.
"We will monitor this case closely," chairperson of the Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI) of Baito district, Hasna, said.
Hasna described Supriyani as a calm, patient, and friendly teacher who would never harm a student.
While admitting that disciplinary measures are sometimes necessary in schools, Hasna emphasized that they should be reasonable and not involve physical abuse.
After a week in detention, Supriyani was released on Tuesday (October 22) based on the decision of the South Konawe District Attorney and the Andoolo District Court to suspend her detention.
In making the decision, they considered her family obligations, including caring for a toddler, and her ongoing teaching responsibilities at SDN 4 Baito.
Upon her release, Supriyani, overcome with emotion, was greeted by a crowd of colleagues and supporters.
"It's been six days (in prison). Thank you to everyone who has helped me," she said.
However, the legal proceedings against her are still on.
Baito Police Sector chief, Second Police Inspector Muhammad Idris, outlined the chronology of the alleged abuse case against Supriyani.
"Initially, the victim's parent discovered a bruise on the child's back thigh on April 25, 2024," he said. The child, a first-grader, claimed that the bruise was caused by a fall while riding a motorbike with their father in a rice field.
However, the child's mother did not believe the story and questioned her husband. When asked by the father, the child ultimately admitted to being beaten by the child's teacher, Supriyani.
The student's father reported the incident to Baito Police on April 26. Instead of immediately processing the report, the police attempted mediation between the two parties by involving the village chief.
During mediation, Supriyani was reportedly asked to shell out Rp50 million or around US$3,200, but she and the school were unable to pay the sum.
However, the police denied any request for money from D's parents. After mediation failed, Supriyani's case proceeded and she was detained.
The principal of SDN 4 Baito, Sanaali, confirmed that Supriyani punished a student in April but denied any abuse that caused injury.
"There has never been an incident of Mrs. Supriyani abusing a student. Other teachers have also given testimony," Sanaali told ANTARA.
Following public scrutiny, the Southeast Sulawesi Regional Police sent an internal team to investigate allegations of procedural violations in the handling of the case.
Deputy chief of the Southeast Sulawesi Regional Police, Brigadier General Amur Chandra Juli Buana, said that the team will also investigate the retrieval of evidence — a broom allegedly taken by D's parents from school without police involvement.
"Hopefully, we will know the results soon and share them with the public," he added.
Chairperson of the Indonesian Teachers Association, Unifah Rosyidi, commended the police's decision to suspend Supriyani's detention.
Unifah requested that if any actions by teachers are considered to violate the law, the relevant police officers make efforts to provide restorative justice and coordinate with the local PGRI to enforce the teacher's code of ethics.
This would be in keeping with the POLRI MOU with PGRI regarding Legal Protection for the Teaching Profession.
Supriyani's case highlights the vulnerable legal position of teachers in dealing with problems with students' parents.
Law No. 14/2005 concerning Teachers and Lecturers requires the government and society to protect teachers in the learning process. Supriyani has maintained that she did not abuse the student.
A member of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Rudianto Lallo, called for the implementation of restorative justice for Supriyani, who is scheduled for her first trial on Thursday (October 24).
While the legal proceedings are ongoing, Rudianto said he believes that cases like Supriyani's, which involve a teacher and student, can be resolved through restorative justice, as their relationship is akin to that of a mother and child.
According to Rudianto, Supriyani's intention was likely to guide and foster her students rather than cause injury. Therefore, he said he believes the case does not need to be handled in the criminal realm, especially considering her previous detention.
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Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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