TL:DR – Sharia Police Caning: Woman Faints During 140 Strikes with Partner in UK
- A couple in Aceh, Indonesia, received 140 lashes for having sex outside marriage and drinking alcohol, showcasing strict enforcement of Sharia law.
- The punishment was public, with significant local attendance; the woman fainted post-punishment.
- This reflects ongoing adherence to Sharia guidelines in Aceh, where issues like gambling and LGBTQ+ relationships are also penalised.
- Sharia police emphasised zero tolerance, even against their own members.
Woman faints while she and partner are caned 140 times each by sharia police | News World
A couple were caned 140 times each by sharia police in Indonesia for having sex outside of marriage and drinking alcohol.
Sharia Law in Aceh
Sexual relations between an unmarried couple are strictly outlawed in Aceh, the only place in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation to impose a version of sharia.
The couple, a man and a woman, were struck on their backs with a rattan stick in a public park while dozens of people watched, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.
Public Caning Incident
The woman fainted after enduring her punishment and was carried to an ambulance. In total, the pair received 140 lashes – 100 for sex outside marriage and 40 for consuming alcohol, the head of Banda Aceh’s Sharia police, Muhammad Rizal, said.
It is thought to be one of the highest numbers of cane lashes imposed since sharia was implemented after Aceh was granted special autonomy in 2001.
Other Punishments Under Sharia Law
The couple was among six people flogged for breaking the Islamic code, including a sharia police officer and his female partner, who were caught in close proximity in a private place. That couple received 23 strikes each.
Public Support for Caning
‘As promised, we make no exceptions, especially not for our own members,’ Rizal said. ‘This certainly tarnishes our name.’ Caning retains strong support in Aceh to punish a range of offences, including gambling, drinking alcohol, having gay sex, and having sexual relations outside marriage.
Last year, two men were publicly flogged 76 times each after they were found guilty of sexual relations by the sharia court.