BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — In the province of Aceh, Indonesia, renowned for its adherence to conservative Islamic principles, two men were subjected to public caning this past Thursday after being found guilty of engaging in homosexual acts by an Islamic Shariah court. This event took place in front of a gathered crowd at Banda Aceh’s Bustanussalatin city park, marking the fourth known instance since the implementation of Shariah law in the province in 2006 for such charges. This enactment was part of an accord by the government to quell a longstanding separatist movement.
The two men, aged 24 and 18, were punished with several dozen lashes administered by a team of executors clad in traditional robes and hoods. Partway through the caning, the men were permitted a respite to hydrate, and their wounds were tended to afterward.
Authorities detained them in November following a report by residents who suspected they were gay. Upon breaking into their rented accommodation, the residents found the men undressed and embracing, subsequently handing them over to the Shariah police.
On the preceding Monday, the Shariah court decreed that the men receive 85 and 80 lashings, respectively. Nonetheless, the court decided on 82 and 77 strokes, acknowledging the time already served in confinement. One of the men, debilitated by the blows, had to be assisted away as he was unable to walk on his own.
In the same session, two others faced the punishment of 34 and 8 lashes for their involvement in gambling activities.
To address the ongoing conflict, Indonesia’s secular central government permitted Aceh to adopt Islamic Shariah law in 2006. This permission led to the establishment of both religious policing and a court system within the province, reinforcing the reach of Shariah law.
Significant advancements in Islamic regulations and penal codes in Aceh in 2015 broadened the scope of Shariah law to affect non-Muslim residents, who comprise approximately 1% of the region’s population. Among various morality offenses, consensual gay relations and premarital sex can incur punishments of up to 100 lashes.
Within Aceh, caning serves as a legal repercussion for infringements such as gambling, alcohol consumption, women donning tight attire, and men neglecting Friday prayers. Human rights organizations have raised alarms about these penalties, arguing they infringe on international conventions that Indonesia is committed to uphold, which advocate for the protection of minority rights.
While Indonesia’s overarching criminal code remains silent on the subject of homosexuality, the central government lacks the authority to override Aceh’s Shariah laws. Nonetheless, a prior statute proposing stoning for adultery was annulled following dissent from the central authority.
