Public caning for homosexuality? Indonesian men receive 80 lashes for hugging and kissing

Two men in Indonesia were among a group of people who were punished with public caning on Tuesday (Aug 26) after an Islamic Shariah court convicted them of violating what it deemed were sexual acts. According to the court, they violated the Islamic law by hugging and kissing, which can lead to banned sexual relations.

About 100 people witnessed the caning on a stage in Bustanussalatin city park in Banda Aceh. The men, aged 20 and 21, received 80 lashes from a group of people in robes and hoods.

Aceh permits up to 100 lashes for those for offences of morality, including gay sex and sex between unmarried people. Apart from this, gambling, consuming alcohol, women wearing tight clothes and men not attending Friday prayers are also subject to punishment by caning in Aceh.

According to the Islamic religious police, the two men were caught engaging in hugging and kissing in a bathroom of a public park. Eight others were also publicly caned with them on charges of adultery and gambling.

The pair was arrested in April at Taman Sari city park in Banda Aceh after being reported by local residents who saw two men entering the same bathroom. The police found the men kissing and hugging. Court records state that they met through an online dating app.

Sharia law in Aceh

Aceh is the only province which practices Shariah law. Earlier, there have been four similar caning incidents related to homosexuality since the province implemented Islamic law, establishing a religious police and court system in 2006. The decision was taken by the government to end a long-running separatist uprising.

Is Homosexuality not allowed in Indonesia?

Homosexuality is not an offence as per the country’s national criminal code, but the central government cannot strike down Shariah law in Aceh. Although the central government earlier pressured the officials in the province to drop a law which sentenced people to be stoned to death for adultery.