A woman had to be carried away after she lost consciousness during a brutal punishment beating in Indonesia. The unnamed woman was given 100 lashes in Banda Aceh after she allegedly engaged in sexual relations outside of marriage.
Public Caning in Banda Aceh
Both she and her partner faced public punishment in the city, in the north of the island of Sumatra, on Thursday for the 'offence'. Images from the public punishment showed both individuals wincing in agony as the lashes were delivered, before the woman eventually collapsed and required assistance from those present.
Sharia law operates in certain areas of the province where the punishment took place, with unmarried couples prohibited from having sex. Under the religious rules, people can also face public caning for offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, and 'homosexual acts'.
Previous Incidents
An unidentified woman and her partner each received 140 public lashes earlier this year, the head of Banda Aceh's Sharia police, Muhammad Rizal, told AFP. They were given 40 lashes each for consuming alcohol and 100 for sex outside marriage. The woman lost consciousness and was later taken to an ambulance after the incident.
The pair were among six individuals publicly whipped for violating Islamic law, including a sharia police officer and his female companion, who were discovered together in a private location. Mr Rizal stated at the time: 'As promised, we make no exceptions, especially not for our own members. This certainly tarnishes our name.'
Legal Context
The offence of child rape reportedly carries a sentence of 200 cane strokes, imprisonment of up to 200 months or a fine equivalent to two kilograms of gold. Two men received 76 lashes each last year after they were convicted of having sex by a Sharia court.
Gay sex is not illegal under Indonesian national law, but the autonomy awarded to Banda Aceh in 2001 means the federal government has no authority to intervene in the province's implementation of Sharia law.
