Locals Report Two Men for Alleged Same-Sex Relations
Two Indonesian male college students, aged 24 and 18, were publicly caned on Thursday (27 Feb) in Aceh province after being convicted of engaging in a same-sex relationship.
The punishment was carried out at Bustanussalatin city park in Banda Aceh, where dozens of spectators gathered to witness it.
Arrested After Being Caught by Locals
According to AP, the two men were arrested in November after residents in their neighborhood suspected them of being gay. The locals forced their way into the men’s rented room, where they allegedly found them naked and hugging.
They then handed them over to the Sharia police, who charged them with violating Aceh’s Islamic morality laws.
Sharia Court Convicts the Two Men
The two men were tried in an Islamic court in Banda Aceh, where judges ruled that they had engaged in same-sex relations, which is illegal under Aceh’s Sharia law.
“During the trial, it was proven that the defendants committed illicit acts, including kissing and having sex,” one of the judges stated.
Initially, the court sentenced the 24-year-old to 85 strokes and the 18-year-old to 80 strokes. However, their punishments were later reduced to 82 and 77 lashes, respectively, after accounting for the time they had already spent in prison.
The court also decided on a harsher punishment for the older man, believing that he had encouraged the relationship and provided the space for sexual relations.
Public Caning in Banda Aceh
Enforcers dressed in hooded robes carried out the flogging in public. The two men were whipped across their backs with a rattan cane while dozens of people watched.
They were also given breaks every 20 strokes to drink water and treat their wounds.
Aceh’s Legal System and Sharia Law
Aceh is the only province in Indonesia that enforces Sharia law, which was officially implemented in 2006 as part of a peace deal between the Indonesian government and local separatist groups.
In 2015, Aceh expanded its religious laws, extending punishments to non-Muslims and enforcing strict morality laws, including up to 100 lashes for same-sex relations and sex outside marriage.
Top photos courtesy of AFP.
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