Indonesian couple caned 140 times for sex outside marriage and drinking alcohol

"In Indonesia, a couple has been caned 140 times each for having sex outside marriage and drinking alcohol in a shocking case that is likely to be one of the most severe punishments under Sharia law.

The pair, who have not been named, were publicly flogged with a rattan stick in a park in Banda Aceh, the only province in Indonesia where Islamic law applies. According to eyewitnesses, dozens of people watched as they received their punishment.

Sexual relations between unmarried couples are strictly forbidden under Sharia law in Aceh, and so is drinking alcohol. The couple was hit with 100 lashes for having sex outside marriage and another 40 for consuming alcohol, according to the head of Banda Aceh's Sharia police, Muhammad Rizal.

The woman suffered from her punishment and had to be taken to an ambulance, highlighting the extreme nature of the punishment. It is believed to be one of the highest numbers of cane lashes imposed since Sharia was implemented in 2001.

Caning remains a popular form of punishment under Islamic law in Aceh, with offenses including gambling, drinking alcohol, having gay sex, and having sex outside marriage. Men who miss Friday prayers are also subject to the punishment.

In recent years, several people have been publicly flogged for breaking these laws, including two men last year who were caned 76 times each for having sex in a public bathroom."

The article highlights the harsh punishments that still exist under Sharia law in Indonesia's Aceh province, where Islamic codes are strictly enforced. The severe punishment imposed on the couple serves as a reminder of the strict laws and customs that govern the region.

It's worth noting that while caning is still practiced in some parts of Indonesia, there is no national law against homosexual relations, and under the autonomy granted to Banda Aceh in 2001, the federal government cannot intervene in the province's Sharia law enforcement. This has led to human rights concerns and criticism from international organizations.

The case highlights the need for greater understanding and tolerance towards different cultures and laws, as well as the importance of protecting human rights and dignity, especially in situations where harsh punishments are imposed on individuals who break the law.

omg this is wild , i mean i get that indonesia has its own rules and all but 140 lashes for having sex outside marriage? that's just crazy , what's next gonna be a public execution for eating pizza at midnight? , and btw why cant the feds step in and put a stop to this?! like, isnt there somethin the international community can do about it?

Ugh, this is just so wrong ! Like, can't they see that it's all about respect for others? A couple having sex outside marriage isn't even a big deal... and drinking alcohol together? I mean, come on, it's not like they're hurting anyone. And 140 lashes? Are you kidding me?! That's like, totally excessive . The fact that the woman had to be taken to an ambulance is just heartbreaking . We need to talk about how we can make things more humane and understanding... I mean, what even is the point of punishment anymore?

I'm still trying to understand this whole caning thing... Like, why do people get 140 lashes just for having sex outside marriage? I mean, isn't that a bit extreme? And what's up with drinking alcohol being against the law too? Don't people deserve to have some fun? I also wonder if they had any warning or like, a chance to say sorry before it happened. Did they just get taken away from their friends and family without any notice? It's all so... dramatic .

omg 140 times?! thats so extreme! i cant believe they caned them in public like that think about if someone did that to me or you in a normal country, we would be all up on it and demand justice for us... but in Indonesia, its just "hey, that's our law" anyway, its not right. whats the point of having laws if they're gonna be so cruel? humans deserve respect & love regardless of what u do or who u are

Ugh 140 lashes for a couple getting caught up in some messy stuff is just too much I mean, I get that they broke the law, but come on! They didn't kill anyone or steal millions Caning is so outdated and barbaric It's time for Indonesia to rethink its approach to justice and focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment. And can we please talk about how ridiculous it is that the woman had to get ambulanced after the flogging? That's just heartbreaking

Ugh, can we please just stop romanticizing these brutal punishments? Like, yeah they're supposed to be part of some "traditional" culture or whatever, but newsflash: it's not traditional, it's barbaric! 140 lashes is way too much for a couple who made one tiny mistake. And what about the woman who got hurt so bad she needed an ambulance? That's just awful. We should be talking about how to reform these laws and make them more humane, not just accepting that this is some kind of "cultural norm". Can't we do better than this?

OMG that's so harsh! I mean, can you imagine having to go through 140 lashes? It's not just about the physical pain but also the emotional trauma that comes with it. And what really gets me is that this is all based on outdated laws and customs that don't even align with modern values of equality and human rights .

I feel so sorry for the couple who got caned. The woman even had to be taken to an ambulance afterwards! That's just heartbreaking . And it's not just this one couple, there are others who have been publicly flogged for breaking these laws. It's like they're being punished for living their lives in a way that doesn't conform to societal norms.

We need to be talking about how to create more understanding and tolerance towards different cultures and laws. We can't keep ignoring the human rights concerns and just hoping everything goes away . We have to take a stand and say, "Enough is enough!"

Ugh, can you believe this?! They're literally caning someone 140 times! It's like, what is wrong with these people?! The woman was shaking like crazy and had to be rushed to an ambulance ... it's just heartbreaking. I don't get why they can't just have a chat with the couple and tell them to behave instead of resorting to such harsh punishments. And can we talk about how outdated this is? It's 2025, people! We've come so far in terms of human rights and understanding... it's time for Indonesia to catch up too

Man, this is just so sad . I mean, can you even imagine being publicly flogged 140 times? It's like something out of a bad horror movie or an old fairy tale from when my grandparents were kids (back in the day... ). I feel bad for the couple, they didn't deserve that kind of punishment. And 40 lashes for just drinking booze? That's crazy!

I'm still getting used to all this progress we're making as a society, but sometimes it feels like we're taking two steps forward and one step back (you know how it is ). I mean, can't we all just get along and respect each other's differences? I guess that's what the article is saying, right?

I was talking to my aunt the other day about this kind of thing happening in Indonesia, and she said how sad it makes her think back to when Islamic law was more strict (back in her day... ). But at the same time, she also acknowledged that human rights need to be protected. I guess we all have different perspectives on things, but shouldn't we all just agree on basic human decency?

Ugh I'm still shaking after reading this Like what even is this? In my opinion it's not just about them, its about how Indonesia as a whole views LGBTQ+ people The fact that there's no national law against homosexual relations is wild and kinda scary. Can't they just live their lives without fear of persecution? I mean I know some ppl might be like "it's not my business" but newsflash: it IS your business when ppl are getting caned for being who they are

omg this is sooo crazy!! i cant even believe its 2025 and ppl still get caned for having sex outside marraige lol what if they didnt know its against the law?? or what if they were just trying to express themselves?? it feels like sharia law is super outdated & harsh the fact that there isnt a national law against gay relations is also really sad & unfair idk man, i just think we need more education & understanding about diff cultures & laws. and btw, who gets to decide what ppl can & cant do in their own homes?? its soooo not right

Ugh, I'm still trying to process this article... like, caning 140 times? That's insane . It just goes to show how outdated and extreme Sharia law can be. And what really gets me is that there's no national law against homosexual relations, so basically, people are at the mercy of local laws and customs... it's not right .

I mean, I get that Indonesia wants to enforce its Islamic codes in Aceh province, but this punishment is just too harsh. And what about human rights? Like, shouldn't there be some basic dignity and respect for all individuals, regardless of their actions or identity?

And can we talk about the layout of this article for a sec? The subheadings are super clear, but sometimes I feel like it's a bit too straightforward. Where's the flair? The visual interest? Like, why not add some graphics or icons to break up the text and make it more engaging?

Anyway, back to the topic... this case is definitely a wake-up call for us to think about human rights and tolerance. We need more empathy and understanding towards different cultures and laws... and maybe, just maybe, we can work towards some more progressive and humane punishments .

this is a crazy situation. can you even imagine getting hit with 140 lashes?! it's not just about breaking the rules, but also about being treated like an animal. i feel bad for the couple, and their punishment is definitely not justified. the thing is, caning is still a thing in some parts of indonesia, and it's like they're stuck in the dark ages or something. the fact that there's no national law against homosexuality is just messed up too. what kind of society allows this to happen?! we need to talk about human rights and dignity here... it's time for some change!

I'm really worried about this . The fact that caning is still a thing in Aceh province is just not cool. It's like they're taking the whole "separate but equal" thing too far . I mean, who gets to decide what laws are applied and which ones aren't? And now we have cases where people get punished way more harshly than I think is necessary .

The thing that really bothers me is that international organizations are just standing by while this happens . Can't they do something about it? It's like, hey Indonesia has some autonomy over its laws, but come on, can't we all just have basic human rights treated with respect?

I'm not sure what the solution is here, but I think we need to start having more conversations about this kind of thing . We need to make sure that everyone's got a voice and that no one gets left behind . It's like, let's try to find a way to make laws that are fair for everyone, not just some group of people who happen to be in power .

omg this is so crazy can you believe ppl r actually gettin 140 lashes 4 havin sex outside marriage? i feel so bad for the couple its like they were just being human lol and drinking booze too but idk how u live w/that kinda punishment in a place where people dont even gotta be gay or gamble to get hurt anyway, i think we should all try 2 be more understanding & accepting of diff cultures & laws cuz at the end of the day its not about us [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ashes-punishment-under-indonesia-s-sharia-law]

man I'm still shaking my head over this couple gets caned 140 times each for breaking some pretty basic rules it's like they're living under a different set of laws or something I get that everyone has their own beliefs and customs but come on 140 lashes? that's just extreme the fact that they were publicly flogged in front of dozens of people is just sickening can't we all just try to coexist peacefully without resorting to such brutal punishments? it's like, what even is the point of having a law if you're just gonna enforce it with something as cruel and barbaric as caning?

I mean, what's with the fact that this is even a thing? Caning 140 times each? That's just ridiculous. It's like they're trying to make an example out of people. And the woman had to be taken to an ambulance afterwards... poor thing . And don't even get me started on how these punishments are still allowed under Sharia law in Indonesia. Like, what happened to human rights and dignity? Can we just have one country where everyone can live without fear of being publicly flogged for having a drink or holding hands with someone you love? It's time for some reform, I think.

I'm totally with the couple, they did nothing wrong ! If anyone can get punished for having sex outside marriage or drinking a beer, I'd say that's a total overreach of Sharia law . 100 lashes? 40 lashes? That's just crazy talk . And what really gets my goat is that this whole thing is allowed to happen because of some outdated laws that don't even apply to the rest of Indonesia . I mean, come on, can't the federal government just put a stop to all this? It's like they're saying, "Yeah, we don't care about human rights in Aceh"... . This whole thing is a total human rights nightmare .

this is so messed up they're literally being punished for living their lives, can you imagine getting hit 140 times with a stick? it's like, what even is the point of that? the fact that they were taken to an ambulance after showing signs of distress just shows how extreme and inhumane this punishment is... it's not even about punishing the couple, but about enforcing some outdated and harsh laws on innocent people