Court in Aceh, Indonesia, sentences public flogging for showing love

• Two men received 80 lashes with a cane for being caught in a consensual relationship.
• The trial took place in a closed court under the authority of the Sharia court.
• Aceh is the only province in Indonesia where Sharia law is enforced.

In Aceh, in the conservative province of Aceh, the Sharia court sentenced two men to public flogging in the form of 80 lashes each after they were caught under the accusation of a consensual relationship.

The court proceedings were held in a closed court in Aceh court on Monday. The judges have the right to restrict access to court proceedings when the case involves similar offenses.

The men, aged 20 and 21, were arrested in a flower garden in Tamansari Park, when local residents spotted them in the same bathroom and reported this to the police.

The police detained them when they were found together and claimed that the court considered this to be sexual activity. Chief Judge, Rokhmadi M. Huk, stated that the defendants "legally and convincingly" committed their crime.

The prosecutors initially demanded 85 lashes, but the court decided that the punishment would be softened, as the men were considered to be first-time offenders and had shown remorse in court, as well as having no prior convictions. Time spent in detention was taken into account, and the number of lashes was reduced by four.

Aceh is the only province in Indonesia where the application of Sharia law is permitted, including punishment for moral crimes, including homosexuality. According to the law, up to 100 lashes can be imposed for similar offenses.

Since the introduction of the law in 2015, this is already the fifth public flogging for homosexuality in Aceh. This summer, two other men were also publicly flogged for homosexual relationships.

Critics of human rights point out that this violates international agreements signed by Indonesia regarding the rights of minorities. The national criminal code of Indonesia does not regulate homosexuality.

Tags: Crime