Indonesian Sharia court orders 21 lashes each after a livestreamed kiss, as rights groups condemn the punishment
A 22-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman have been publicly caned in Indonesia’s Aceh province after an Islamic Sharia court convicted them of violating Islamic law by kissing during a TikTok livestream, in a case that has reignited debate over the province’s religious legal system.
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The Aceh couple caned case unfolded on Thursday when the pair each received 21 strokes of a rattan cane before a crowd of more than 100 people at Bustanussalatin City Park in Banda Aceh.
The punishment was carried out by officials wearing robes and hoods after the court found the couple guilty of engaging in physical intimacy outside marriage, an offence under Aceh’s Islamic criminal code.
Authorities said the pair were arrested in April after a February 27 TikTok livestream showing them kissing inside a car in Banda Aceh went viral and prompted complaints to local Sharia enforcement officials.
The court initially imposed 25 lashes on each defendant but reduced the sentence to 21 strokes after taking into account the four months they had already spent in detention.
Judges also ordered the destruction of a mobile phone and a USB flash drive containing the livestream, which had been admitted as evidence during the trial.
Four other people were publicly caned on the same day after being convicted of offences including online gambling and adultery.
Aceh remains the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia authorised to enforce a version of Islamic Sharia law.
The province was granted special autonomy by Indonesia’s central government in 2006 as part of a peace agreement that ended decades of separatist conflict.
In 2015, the province expanded the application of its Sharia regulations to include non-Muslims, who make up about one per cent of Aceh’s population.
Under Aceh’s Islamic criminal code, offences such as adultery, same-sex relations, gambling and alcohol consumption can attract public caning.
The regulations also impose sanctions for certain dress code violations and for Muslim men who fail to attend Friday prayers.
The latest punishment has drawn renewed criticism from Amnesty International Indonesia, which described public caning as a violation of human rights.
Executive Director Usman Hamid questioned whether the couple’s conduct justified such severe punishment.
“Such behavior 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,” Hamid said.
However, some local residents defended the sentence.
Aini Nadhirah, a 22-year-old resident of Banda Aceh who witnessed the punishment, said the public caning served as a deterrent.
“In my opinion, this caning is entirely justified because it serves as a warning to other Aceh residents to be more careful when using social media.
It also raises awareness that such actions are unacceptable, thereby educating the public,” she said.
Public caning remains one of the most controversial aspects of Aceh’s legal system.
While provincial authorities argue that the punishments reflect local religious values and are permitted under the province’s special autonomy arrangements, international human rights organisations have repeatedly called for their abolition, arguing that such penalties amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
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The issue continues to attract international scrutiny as Indonesia balances regional autonomy with its commitments under international human rights conventions.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
