A young couple in Indonesia's Aceh province received 21 lashes each on Thursday after a video of them kissing during a TikTok livestream went viral, leading to their conviction under the region's strict Islamic law.
Details of the Punishment
The public caning took place at Bustanussalatin City Park in Banda Aceh, where more than 100 spectators gathered to watch officials use rattan canes to carry out the sentence. The couple, a 22-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, had been arrested in April after a TikTok livestream recorded on February 27 showed them kissing inside a car. The video sparked complaints from local residents, prompting sharia police to track them down.
An Islamic court originally sentenced both to 25 lashes, but the punishment was reduced to 21 because they had already spent four months in detention before the trial. The court also ordered the confiscation and destruction of a mobile phone and a USB flash drive containing the viral video as evidence.
Why Caning is Legal in Aceh
Aceh is the only province in Indonesia allowed to enforce its own version of Sharia law, a special arrangement introduced in 2006 as part of a peace agreement between the central government and separatist groups. While Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim-majority country, most of the nation operates under a secular legal system. Aceh is the exception.
In 2015, Aceh expanded its Islamic criminal code to include non-Muslims in certain situations, even though they make up only about one percent of the province's population. Offences considered immoral, including adultery and same-sex sexual relations, can attract up to 100 lashes. Public caning is also used for gambling, drinking alcohol, and other violations of local religious regulations.
On Thursday, four other individuals were also publicly caned after being convicted of online gambling and adultery.
Amnesty International's Condemnation
Human rights group Amnesty International Indonesia strongly criticised the punishment. Executive Director Usman Hamid questioned whether a kiss on social media warranted such severe consequences. "Such behaviour might be considered inappropriate because social media is viewed by people of various age groups, including children. But is it a crime that warrants imprisonment or even caning? That would be excessive," he said.
Amnesty has consistently argued that public caning amounts to cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment, noting that Indonesia has signed international agreements calling for the abolition of such punishments.
