"Collapsed from Flogging"... Man and Woman Publicly Lashed 140 Times for Extramarital Sex

Public Flogging Carried Out in Indonesia
100 Lashes for Extramarital Sex, 40 for Alcohol Consumption
Punishment Administered Publicly in a Park

In Indonesia's Aceh Special Autonomous Region, a man and a woman convicted of extramarital sex and alcohol consumption were publicly flogged 140 times. This case is recorded as the harshest punishment carried out since Aceh adopted Sharia, the Islamic law.

A woman publicly flogged by Sharia police. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

According to AFP on the 29th (local time), citing Banda Aceh Sharia police, both the man and the woman received 100 lashes for extramarital sex and 40 lashes for alcohol consumption. The punishment was carried out publicly in a city park in Banda Aceh, witnessed by dozens of residents. The executioner struck the defendants' backs with a rattan cane. The female defendant lost consciousness during the flogging and was taken to a hospital.

Muhammad Rizal, Chief of Banda Aceh Sharia Police, stated, "A punishment of 140 lashes is extremely rare since Sharia was institutionalized in Aceh in the early 2000s," adding, "There are no exceptions in the application of the law."

On the same day, in addition to this case, a total of six people were publicly flogged for violating Islamic regulations. Among them were an active Sharia police officer and his female companion. The two were found to have had an inappropriate relationship in a private setting and were each sentenced to 23 lashes. Chief Rizal said, "We cannot show leniency just because they are insiders," and described the incident as "an act that has tarnished the institution's honor."

Since 2003, Aceh has been the only region in Indonesia to officially implement Sharia as its legal system. In this region, extramarital sex, alcohol consumption, gambling, and same-sex relations are prohibited, and flogging is the main form of punishment for violations. Women can also be flogged for wearing tight clothing, and men for failing to attend Friday prayers. Among local residents, there is a certain level of support for this system, as it is believed to be effective in deterring crime.

However, international human rights organizations have strongly criticized public flogging. Amnesty International stated, "Imposing public corporal punishment for consensual adult relationships is a state-sanctioned act of cruelty," and called for its immediate cessation. Human rights groups within Indonesia have also called for a review of the flogging system, but the judiciary has not accepted these demands.