Woman Collapses During First Public Caning for Social Media ‘Obscenity’ in Indonesia’s Aceh

BANDA ACEH, Jul 2: A woman has become the first person to be publicly caned in Indonesia’s Aceh province for allegedly “committing obscenity live with a man on social media” under the region’s strict Sharia-based laws, local authorities and reports said.

The punishment was carried out after she and her partner were accused of kissing during a TikTok livestream, an act considered a violation under Aceh’s Islamic criminal code, which prohibits physical intimacy between unmarried couples.

Eyewitnesses said the woman collapsed during the caning as she was struck multiple times by a masked Sharia police officer, before being attended to by medical staff. It was not immediately clear how many of the 21 lashes she had received before fainting. Officials later said any remaining punishment would be completed once she is medically fit.

Her partner was also caned, along with several other convicts who received lashes for separate offences, including gambling and illicit relationships, according to local officials.

The public punishment drew a large crowd, with images showing onlookers watching the proceedings in an open area, where officials say such sentences are intended as both a deterrent and public enforcement of moral codes.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, condemned the caning as “cruel and degrading,” arguing that the punishment violates international human rights standards and causes lasting psychological and physical harm.

Aceh is the only province in Indonesia that enforces a version of Sharia law, including public caning for offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, and extramarital relations. The practice has been repeatedly criticised by rights organisations but continues to receive support from local authorities as part of the province’s legal and cultural system.

The latest incident comes amid continued debate over the region’s use of corporal punishment, which has previously seen individuals faint or require hospital treatment during public canings.