Indonesian couple caned 140 times for sex outside marriage, alcohol offences

A couple in Indonesia has been caned 140 times for having sex outside marriage and drinking alcohol because it violates Sharia, or Islamic religious law.

The 21-year-old woman fainted after three female officers took turns striking her with a rattan cane, while she cried. After she collapsed, she was carried off the stage by female officers to an ambulance.

The couple were caned on Thursday along with four others, including an officer from the Islamic police force, who were all found guilty of violating Sharia.

Caning is a common punishment for breaking Islamic law in religiously conservative Aceh, although the practice has long drawn criticism from rights groups who say it’s cruel.

Under Aceh’s Islamic criminal code, sex outside marriage is punishable by 100 strokes of the cane, while consuming alcohol carries 40 strokes.

Canings are not regulated properly, says Azharul Husna, the Aceh coordinator for Indonesian rights group Kontras, adding that the rules around such punishments should be “improved” to support people after they’re caned.

The officer from the Islamic police force was caned 23 times, as was his female partner, for being in close proximity in a private place.

He was caught alone with her in her house, Muhammad Rizal, the head of Aceh’s Islamic police force told BBC Indonesian, adding that the officer would be dismissed.

Aceh is the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia to enforce the Sharia, and punishes many of the offences with public canings.