Couple Receives 100 Lashes for Premarital Intimacy in Aceh

In Aceh Province, Indonesia, a couple was publicly flogged with 100 lashes after being found guilty of engaging in sexual relations outside of marriage. Their identities were not disclosed.

The punishment took place in a public park in Banda Aceh and was witnessed by dozens of spectators. This action was carried out by local authorities as part of the province's implementation of sharia law, which prohibits sexual relations between unmarried individuals.

The local prosecutor's office stated that the punishment is enforced whenever residents violate Islamic legal provisions in the region. The couple was among six individuals punished on that day, with four others receiving between 8 to 29 lashes for offenses that included physical contact with members of the opposite sex and alcohol consumption.

The enforcement of such laws, which govern moral conduct and gambling offenses, has significant support within Aceh Province, despite Indonesia's official recognition of multiple religions.