‘One of the most severe’ Sharia law canings carried out in Islamic Indonesian region sees woman collapse after she is lashed 140 times for having sex outside marriage

A woman collapsed after she and her partner were caned 140 times each for having sex outside of marriage and drinking alcohol in one of the most severe Sharia Law lashings carried out in Indonesia. 

The couple, a man and a woman, were struck on their backs with a rattan stick in a public park on Thursday in the province of Aceh while dozens of people watched.

Sexual relations between an unmarried couple are strictly outlawed in Aceh, the only place in Indonesia to impose a version of Sharia. 

The woman fainted after enduring her brutal punishment and was escorted to an ambulance. 

In total, the pair received 140 lashes: 100 for sex outside marriage and 40 for consuming alcohol, according to the head of Banda Aceh’s Sharia police, Muhammad Rizal. 

Pictures of the public canings showed the woman kneeling as a masked man whipped her repeatedly with a cane, while another image showed her wiping away tears. 

The woman was also pictured being wheeled off in a stretcher following her beatings, while her partner appeared to grimace in pain in separate photographs.  

It is thought to be one of the highest numbers of cane lashes imposed since Sharia was implemented after Aceh was granted special autonomy in 2001.

The couple was among six people flogged for breaking the Islamic code, including a sharia police officer and his female partner, who were caught in close proximity in a private place.

That couple received 23 strikes each.

‘As promised, we make no exceptions, especially not for our own members. This certainly tarnishes our name,’ Rizal said.

Caning retains strong support in Aceh to punish a range of offences, including gambling, drinking alcohol, having gay sex and having sexual relations outside marriage.

Last year, two men were publicly flogged 76 times each after they were found guilty of sexual relations by the Sharia court. 

Back in September, a woman was publicly whipped with a cane in Aceh after being found guilty of adultery. 

Photographs released showed the woman kneeling as a masked man, a member of the Sharia police known as an Algojo, struck her repeatedly with a rattan cane. 

Armed officers stood guard while a crowd gathered to watch. Other images captured two men grimacing as they were flogged for their own convictions.

In February last year, two men aged 18 and 24 were caned for having sex. One collapsed and had to be carried away after receiving his final lash.

The public nature of these punishments is intended to shame as well as inflict pain.

Canings are often staged outside mosques or in community squares, with crowds watching and photographing the event. 

Human rights groups say the humiliation adds to the cruelty and causes lasting psychological damage.

Since the practice came into force, hundreds of people have been flogged in Aceh each year.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly condemned the practice, saying it violates Indonesia’s constitution and its obligations under international law. 

Amnesty said in a statement: ‘Caning contravenes Indonesia’s constitution and is in clear violation of international human rights law and standards. 

‘It constitutes a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can amount to torture in violation of the UN Convention against Torture and other international covenants, to which Indonesia is a State Party.’

Local officials have defended the practice as a deterrent and as part of the province’s identity, while critics warn it has negatively impacted Indonesia’s human rights reputation and inflicted lasting trauma on those who endure it.