Breaking News: A couple in Indonesia received 21 lashes each after being found guilty of kissing during a TikTok livestream.
A young couple in Indonesia has been publicly caned after being convicted of violating local morality laws. The 22-year-old man and 25-year-old woman each received 21 lashes in Aceh province, according to the Associated Press. The punishment followed their arrest in March after a TikTok video of them allegedly kissing inside a car went viral, sparking outrage from residents.
The pair had already spent four months in prison before the caning, with the sentence reduced from 25 lashes due to time served, the AP reports. Local authorities stated the caning served as a deterrent against “immoral acts” and a warning to others regarding social media use. Confiscated items including a mobile phone and USB drive containing the video were to be destroyed. Sharia police chief Muhammad Rizal said the “trigger” for the arrest was the livestream itself, adding that it had elicited criticism from online users and local people.
A Banda Aceh resident, Aini Nadhirah, who witnessed the caning, described it as “entirely justified”, believing it would “educate the public” and deter similar behaviour. Aceh is the only Indonesian province permitted to implement its own Islamic Criminal Code, a concession granted as part of a 2005 peace deal.
The practice of caning, used for offences ranging from gambling to adultery, has prompted condemnation from human rights bodies such as Amnesty International Indonesia, who label it “cruel and degrading”. Despite international conventions prohibiting such punishment, Aceh defends the practice as not falling within those definitions.
What Happens Next
Authorities will likely continue to enforce Sharia law in Aceh, raising further concerns from human rights groups. Debates over the compatibility of local custom with national and international legal standards are expected to continue.
Sources: Fox News, The Associated Press.
