The Aceh Sharia Court recently handed down a punishment to a 22-year-old and a 25-year-old following an incident deemed “immoral” by local authorities. The pair faced disciplinary action after a video of their kiss circulated online, prompting numerous reports to the local Sharia governance structure. The man and woman were subsequently arrested on February 27.
The legal proceedings took place in Aceh, the Indonesian province that implements a form of Sharia law. Initially, the couple was sentenced to 25 blows. However, the penalty was later adjusted to 21 blows delivered with a baton.
The punishment was administered publicly on a stage within Banda Aceh’s Bustanussalatin park, with an estimated attendance of at least one hundred people. The physical discipline was carried out by several individuals wearing hoods. The judicial ruling underscores the local interpretation of moral conduct, particularly concerning unmarried couples.
The couple had already spent four months incarcerated prior to the final verdict. The entire episode highlights the jurisdiction of Sharia law within Aceh, where such public corporal punishments, involving numerous blows, are reportedly carried out as part of the judicial process. The sentencing and subsequent flogging occurred within the current year, drawing international attention to the enforcement of religious law in the region.
Topics: #blows #aceh #year
