Public Caning in Aceh Sparks Global Human Rights Outcry

Two young men in Indonesia's Aceh province have been subjected to public caning by Islamic Shariah court orders after being convicted for hugging and kissing, actions deemed to potentially lead to prohibited sexual relations.

The event drew a crowd of approximately 100 onlookers who gathered to watch the punishment executed on-stage at Bustanussalatin city park in Banda Aceh. Both men endured 80 lashes from a group of masked enforcers, highlighting the stringent adherence to morality offenses under Shariah law in Aceh.

Aceh remains the only province in the largely secular nation of Indonesia to practice Shariah law, a policy established in 2006. This incident, among others, continues to spark international condemnation from human rights organizations, emphasizing the conflict between local regulations and broader human rights principles.

(With inputs from agencies.)