(Woman Collapsed. Photo by The Mirror)
A woman reportedly collapsed and had to be carried away after she and her partner were each publicly flogged 100 times in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, as punishment for allegedly engaging in a sexual relationship outside of marriage under the province’s strict Sharia law.
The caning was carried out by a masked official in front of a crowd of onlookers.
The woman fainted during the ordeal while her partner was visibly in severe pain as he received his lashes.
The couple were among several individuals punished that day for violating Sharia regulations in the province, with offences reportedly including extramarital relationships allegedly arranged through online platforms.
Sentences handed down by the Banda Aceh Sharia Court and Prosecutor’s Office ranged from 25 to 100 lashes.
Aceh remains the only province in Indonesia that enforces Sharia law, under which unmarried sexual relationships are prohibited.
Public caning is also applied as punishment for offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption and same-sex relations, and is deliberately carried out in public to serve as both a penalty and a deterrent to others.
The practice has drawn strong condemnation from international human rights organisations.
Amnesty International described caning as a violation of Indonesia’s own constitution and a breach of international human rights law, calling it cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
Human Rights Watch has also been vocal in its opposition.
Despite widespread global criticism, authorities in Aceh continue to defend the practice as an integral part of their religious and cultural framework, arguing that it serves as an effective deterrent against immoral behaviour.