Two men from the conservative province of Aceh in Indonesia have been publicly punished every 77 times after neighbors reported them to the Islamic religious police for having sex.
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia – Two men from the conservative province of Aceh in Indonesia were publicly punished every 77 times on Thursday after neighbors reported them to Islamic religious police for having sex.
Dozens of people witnessed the beating at Tamanda de Banda Aceh city park. This is the third time that Aceh, Indonesia’s only province that practices Shariah law, has controlled people for homosexuality since Islamic law was applied in 2015 as a government concession to end a long rebellion. separatist lion.
The men, aged 27 and 29, were whipped in the back and slapped in pain as a team of five law enforcement officers wearing robes and hoods alternated, taking turns next to each other. of every 40 strokes.
The men were arrested in November after residents were distrusted and entered their rented room, where they were caught having sex, said Heru Triwijanarko, chief of Sharia police in Aceh.
A Shariah court last month sentenced 80 men to 80 times, but they were punished 77 times after a remission for time spent in prison.
Four other people received 17 strokes from extramarital affairs and 40 strokes from drinking alcohol.
A Shariah code allows up to 100 tabs for moral crimes, including gay sex. The cane is also a punishment for adultery, gambling, alcohol consumption and women wearing tight clothing and men skipping Friday prayers.
With the exception of Aceh, homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, but the country’s low-profile LGBT community has been harassed in recent years.