Authorities in Indonesia’s Aceh Province, the only region in the country governed by Islamic Sharia law, on Wednesday carried out the public flogging of a man and woman who were convicted of engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage. Both individuals received 100 lashes each, following a court ruling that found them guilty under the region’s religious penal system.
The sentencing was carried out in full public view at a park located in Banda Aceh, the provincial capital. According to eyewitnesses and local media, the flogging was administered in rounds of ten lashes using a rattan cane. A female officer handled the caning of the woman, in line with Sharia protocol. On standby were medical teams, prepared to offer immediate care to the convicts in case of health complications.
The court also issued punishments for three other individuals who were convicted of gambling and consuming alcohol, two acts that are also prohibited under Aceh’s strict Islamic code. The trio received a combined 49 lashes during the session.
Speaking at the scene, Mayor of Banda Aceh, Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal, stated that the punishments serve both a corrective and deterrent function for the broader community. “Today we are carrying out flogging punishment for perpetrators of adultery, alcohol consumption, and online gambling,” she said. “This becomes a moral lesson for the community at large. This flogging punishment becomes a gateway to repentance for them.”
While the spectacle drew criticism from international human rights advocates, who have consistently condemned public flogging as a form of cruel and inhumane treatment, the practice remains widely accepted by many in Aceh. Public caning is a regular enforcement measure for offences such as adultery, alcohol consumption, gambling, and same-sex relations.
Indonesia as a nation passed a new criminal code in 2022 that includes a ban on sex outside of marriage. However, this national law is not expected to come into effect until 2026. In the meantime, Aceh continues to enforce its own legal framework under special autonomy granted by the central government in 2001, following years of separatist agitation and armed conflict in the region.
Earlier in February, two men in the province were subjected to more than 150 lashes each for engaging in homosexual activity, which is also criminalized under local Sharia law.
Despite growing criticism from international observers, the government in Aceh maintains that these punishments are consistent with its religious and cultural values, and continues to implement them with the support of a significant portion of its population.
