Mon Feb 24 14:56:50 UTC 2025: **Headline:** Indonesian Sharia Court Sentences Two Men to Caning for Gay Sex
**Byline:** [The Hindu Staff]
**Dateline:** BANDA ACEH, Indonesia – February 24, 2025
**Body:**
An Islamic Sharia court in Indonesia’s Aceh province sentenced two men to public caning on Monday for engaging in homosexual acts. The 24-year-old and 18-year-old college students, arrested in November after neighbors reported them, received 85 and 80 lashes respectively. The judge, Sakwanah, cited their guilt based on evidence including eyewitness accounts and the defendants’ admission of kissing and having sex. While the maximum sentence is 100 lashes, the judge noted the men’s good behavior and academic standing in mitigating the punishment. Both the prosecution and defense accepted the verdict and will not appeal.
Aceh, a conservative province, is the only region in Indonesia permitted to implement Sharia law under a 2006 peace agreement. This allows for public caning for various morality offenses, including homosexuality, gambling, and alcohol consumption. Human rights groups have condemned the practice, arguing it violates international human rights treaties. While Indonesia’s national laws do not criminalize homosexuality, the central government lacks the authority to overturn Aceh’s Sharia laws. This instance marks the third time Aceh has employed caning as punishment for homosexual acts.
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