Indonesian Couple Caned in Aceh for Violating Sharia Law
An Indonesian couple has been publicly caned 140 times each in Aceh province after being found guilty of having sex outside marriage and consuming alcohol, offences under the region’s strict Sharia law.
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The punishment was carried out by local authorities following a court ruling, in line with Aceh’s Islamic regulations, which permit corporal punishment for moral and social violations. Aceh is the only province in Indonesia allowed to enforce Sharia-based laws.
The case has renewed debate both locally and internationally over human rights and the use of corporal punishment, with rights groups repeatedly calling on authorities to abolish public caning.
Officials, however, maintain that the laws reflect local values and are intended to uphold public morality within the conservative province.
Indonesian Couple Caned in Aceh for Violating Sharia Law