Amorous couples and sex workers whipped publicly in Indonesia’s Aceh
Aceh is the only province in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country that imposes Islamic law and flogging is a common punishment for a range of offences
A group of amorous couples and alleged sex workers were publicly whipped for breaking strict Islamic law in Indonesia’s Aceh on Friday, just a week after the province pledged to move the widely condemned practice indoors.
The three men and five women – who included several college students – were found guilty of violating religious law by either showing affection in public or for offering sexual services online, officials said.
More than a thousand people, including dozens of tourists from neighbouring Malaysia, jeered and screamed abuse at the group as they were flogged outside a mosque in the capital Banda Aceh.
Aceh is the only province in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country that imposes sharia law and flogging is a common punishment for a range of offences – from gambling, to drinking alcohol to having gay sex or relations outside of marriage.
The conservative region on the northern tip of Sumatra island passed a regulation a week ago that would see criminals whipped only behind prison walls. It was not clear when the new rule would come into effect.
