Aceh Province Publicly Flogs Two Men for Same-Sex Relations, Sparking International Condemnation
Two men, aged 20 and 21, were publicly flogged 76 times each in Aceh, Indonesia, after being found guilty of consensual same-sex activity by a local Sharia court. The punishment was carried out in Banda Aceh, with spectators reportedly filming the event.
Aceh is the only province in Indonesia with the autonomy too enforce Islamic criminal bylaws, known as qanun jinayat. These laws, introduced in 2015, criminalize acts including adultery, gambling, alcohol consumption, and same-sex relations, with penalties reaching up to 200 lashes. The qanun jinayat expands upon earlier bylaws, specifically increasing the scope of offenses punishable by caning.The public flogging has drawn strong criticism from international human rights organizations. Montse Ferrer,Amnesty International’s Regional Research Director,described the punishment as “a disturbing act of state-sanctioned discrimination and cruelty” and a “horrifying reminder of the institutionalized stigma and abuse faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Aceh.”
Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the Indonesian government to repeal the laws, arguing they violate international treaties to which Indonesia is a signatory, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture. The UN Human Rights Committee has previously urged Indonesia to prohibit corporal punishment and protect LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination.
Despite this international pressure,Aceh authorities maintain the qanun jinayat reflects local customs and Islamic values. While the central government in Jakarta has generally respected Aceh’s autonomous status, rights groups contend this approach compromises Indonesia’s constitutional commitments to equality and non-discrimination.
This incident is part of a pattern of public canings in Aceh since the implementation of the Islamic criminal laws in 2015. Human rights organizations have consistently condemned the practice, highlighting the ongoing tensions between Indonesia’s decentralized legal system and it’s international human rights obligations. Amnesty International is urging the government to immediately end public caning and decriminalize consensual same-sex relations nationwide.
