Indonesian Man, Woman Caned 140 Times Each For Sex Outside Marriage

Sharia police in Indonesia’s Aceh province, on Thursday, caned a couple 140 times each for having sex outside marriage and consuming alcohol, in what is believed to be one of the harshest such punishments since the deeply conservative region adopted Islamic law.

Aceh is the only province in Indonesia permitted to enforce a version of sharia, under which sexual relations between unmarried couples are strictly prohibited.

The man and woman were publicly flogged in a park in Banda Aceh, struck on the back with a rattan cane as dozens of onlookers watched, an AFP reporter at the scene said. The woman reportedly fainted during the punishment and was taken away in an ambulance.

Banda Aceh’s Sharia police chief, Muhammad Rizal, told AFP that the pair received a total of 140 lashes each — 100 for engaging in sex outside marriage and 40 for drinking alcohol.

He said the sentence was among the highest number of lashes handed down since Aceh was granted special autonomy in 2001, allowing the implementation of Islamic law.

The couple was among six people punished for violating the Islamic code. Others included a sharia police officer and his female partner, who were caught together in a private place and received 23 lashes each.

“As promised, we make no exceptions, especially not for our own members. This certainly tarnishes our name,” Rizal said.

Public caning continues to enjoy strong support in Aceh and is used to punish offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, same-sex relations and sex outside marriage.

Last year, two men were publicly flogged 76 times each after being convicted by a sharia court of engaging in sexual relations.