• Source:JND
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A young couple in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, was publicly flogged 100 times for engaging in sex before marriage, in a punishment carried out under the region’s strict Sharia law. The public lashing drew a small crowd and has reignited global concerns over human rights violations in the only Indonesian province where Islamic law is actively enforced.

The flogging took place in a public park in the provincial capital, where the pair were whipped with rattan sticks in sets of 10. As per customary practice, the female offender was caned by a woman, while a masked enforcer handled the punishment for the male. Medical personnel were stationed nearby to provide assistance, underscoring the severity of the act.

Others Punished For Gambling And Drinking

In the same session, three other individuals were publicly caned a combined 49 times for allegedly participating in online gambling and consuming alcohol, both of which are banned under Aceh’s religious laws.

“Today we are carrying out flogging punishment for perpetrators of adultery, alcohol consumption, and online gambling,” said Banda Aceh Mayor Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal. “This becomes a moral lesson for the community at large. This flogging punishment becomes a gateway to repentance for them.”

Human rights organisations have strongly condemned public floggings as inhumane and degrading, but the practice retains widespread support among Aceh’s predominantly Muslim population. Many view it as a religious duty and a necessary deterrent against moral decay.

Earlier this year, two men were publicly whipped over 150 times after being found guilty of engaging in same-sex relations, which is outlawed in Aceh though not in the rest of Indonesia.

Sharia Law In Aceh

Aceh has enforced Sharia law since 2001, when it was granted special autonomy by the Indonesian government to end a decades-long separatist conflict. Under these laws, offences such as premarital sex, adultery, gambling, alcohol consumption, and gay sex carry penalties including public caning.

Amnesty International and other rights organisations have called for an immediate end to corporal punishment in Indonesia. “Flogging is a clear violation of international human rights law,” said an Amnesty spokesperson. “It must be abolished immediately.” Indonesia banned sex outside of marriage in its revised 2022 criminal code, but that law is not set to take effect until 2026.