A woman has reportedly collapsed after she and her partner were each flogged 100 times in public in Aceh, Indonesia, for allegedly engaging in sex outside marriage under strict Sharia law.
The punishment, carried out in Banda Aceh, saw a masked official administer the caning before a crowd of onlookers. The woman was later carried away after fainting during the ordeal, while her partner was also seen visibly in pain as he received the lashes.
The pair were among several individuals punished by authorities for violating Sharia regulations in the province. Offences reportedly included extramarital sex allegedly arranged through online platforms, with sentences ranging from 25 to 100 lashes issued by the Banda Aceh Sharia Court and Prosecutor’s Office.
Aceh is the only province in Indonesia that enforces Sharia law, where unmarried sexual relationships are prohibited. Public caning is also used for offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, same-sex relations, and other moral violations.
The punishment is often carried out publicly to serve as both physical penalty and public deterrent.
Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have strongly criticised the practice. Amnesty stated: “Caning contravenes Indonesia’s constitution and is in clear violation of international human rights law and standards,” describing it as cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
Despite global criticism, Aceh authorities defend the practice as part of their religious and cultural system, insisting it helps discourage immoral behaviour.
