Representative image: An acehnese woman gets caned in public for spending time with a man who is not her husband (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) A couple in Indonesia’s Banda Aceh was punished under the provisions of Sharia law for getting too close to each other in public. Forcing the two to kneel in front of a mosque, the couple was caned using a bamboo stick. They received 25 lashes each. Other list of offences under Sharia law include homosexuality, adultery, alcohol consumption and gambling. Some of these invite nearly 200 lashes.
Due to growing threats of separatists in the Banda Aceh region, the Government of Indonesia decided to strike a deal with them by allowing imposition of Islamic Sharia law. Plus, the region received special powers in 2005. Indonesia has one of the largest Muslim populations in the world, with 22.5 crore people following Islam, Mirror reported.
Quite recently, a gay couple in Malaysia received lashes for “lesbian intercourse in a car”. They had to face six lashes and a huge fine. It has become commonplace to deprive people of their liberties and impose draconian laws in the region, and, furthermore, humiliate them in front of huge crowds.
An Appeal...
Dear Reader,
As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.
Our business model is you and your subscription. And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.
We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.
Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.