Two young gay men were publicly flogged in Aceh, Indonesia, on Tuesday, drawing a crowd of around 1,000 spectators. The men, aged 20 and 23, were caned 83 and 77 times respectively after being filmed together by Islamic vigilantes in March. The event took place at the Syuhada mosque plaza in Banda Aceh, where a total of ten people were flogged for various offences including adultery.
The flogging is the latest in a series of events that activists say signal a rise in Islamism across Indonesia. Earlier this month, the Christian governor of Jakarta, Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaha Purnama, was jailed for blasphemy. Police also arrested 141 gay men in a Jakarta sauna, despite homosexuality not being illegal under federal law.
Andreas Harsono, a researcher with Human Rights Watch Indonesia, described the situation as 'sharia is contagious'. Gay rights activist Dede Oetomo linked the events to the upcoming 2019 presidential election, suggesting they serve as a 'warm-up' for identity-based politicking. President Joko Widodo, seen as a moderate, faces re-election amid growing conservative influence.
The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), a fringe group, is increasingly setting the national agenda on issues from politics to minority rights. Many observers fear that a loss for Widodo could threaten Indonesia's secular establishment, as conservative hardliners appeal to middle-class voters by promising to protect them from 'awful people' such as gay people and non-Muslims.
