Indonesia: Couple Publicly Flogged for Adultery

A couple in Aceh province, Indonesia, was publicly flogged with 140 lashes for adultery. The woman fainted and was taken to the hospital.

The incident took place in the conservative province of Aceh, the only one in Indonesia that implements Islamic Sharia law. The man and woman were punished with 100 lashes for adultery and 40 for alcohol consumption, according to the head of the Sharia police, Muhammad Rizal.

Four other people, including a police officer and his partner, were also flogged for similar offenses. Indonesia has banned extramarital affairs in its criminal code since 2022, with nationwide implementation from 2026.

Human rights organizations condemn public floggings, but the practice enjoys strong support from the population in Aceh, where Sharia law has been implemented since 2001.

Corporal punishment by flogging is applied for various offenses in Aceh, including gambling, alcohol consumption, and homosexual relations.