A man and a woman were publicly flogged 100 times each on Wednesday in Indonesia’s Aceh province after being convicted of engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage, a violation under the region’s strict Islamic legal system.
Aceh, the only province in Indonesia that fully enforces sharia law, criminalizes sexual relations between unmarried individuals.
Although the Indonesian government passed a law banning sex outside marriage nationwide in 2022, that legislation has not yet come into effect.
The punishment was carried out in a public park in Banda Aceh, the provincial capital, where a small crowd gathered to witness the sentencing.
The flogging was administered in intervals of 10 strokes using a rattan cane. In line with sharia protocol, the female convict was flogged by a woman, as observed by AFP journalists.
In addition to the couple, three other individuals were also flogged—receiving a total of 49 strokes combined—for offences including gambling and alcohol consumption.
“Today we are implementing the caning punishment for adultery, alcohol use, and online gambling,” said Banda Aceh Mayor Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal.
“This is intended as both a deterrent and an opportunity for repentance.”
Medical personnel were present during the public punishment to provide immediate care if needed.
Despite strong criticism from human rights organizations, who describe the practice as harsh and inhumane, public flogging remains widely supported in Aceh.
It is regularly applied for offences such as adultery, drinking, and gambling.
Earlier this year, two men were flogged over 150 times for engaging in same-sex relations, which are also banned in the province.
Aceh was granted special autonomy in 2001, allowing it to implement Islamic law, as part of a broader effort by Indonesia’s central government to resolve a long-standing separatist conflict in the region.