Sharia police in Banda Aceh publicly caned a man and a woman 140 times each for having sex outside marriage and drinking alcohol; the woman fainted during the punishment. Officials said the sentences comprised 100 lashes for extramarital sex and 40 for alcohol consumption. The pair were among six people flogged in the same operation, which also included a sharia police officer and his partner. Aceh enforces a local sharia code under special autonomy granted in 2001, limiting federal intervention.
Banda Aceh: Couple Publicly Caned 140 Times Each for Extramarital Sex and Drinking
A woman accused of having sex outside marriage is publicly caned by a member of the Sharia police in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Jan. 29, 2026. / Credit: CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty(CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty)
Banda Aceh, Indonesia — Sharia police in Aceh publicly caned a man and a woman 140 times each on Thursday after the pair were found guilty of having sex outside marriage and consuming alcohol. Dozens of people watched the punishment in a public park, according to an AFP reporter at the scene.
Authorities said the sentences comprised 100 lashes for sex outside marriage and 40 lashes for drinking alcohol. The woman collapsed after receiving the lashes and was taken to an ambulance.
Other Floggings and Official Response
The couple were among six people flogged during the same enforcement operation. A sharia police officer and his female partner were also punished after being found in close proximity in a private place; that pair received 23 lashes each. Muhammad Rizal, head of Banda Aceh's Sharia police, said there would be no exceptions for officers, adding that the incident tarnished the force’s reputation.
A medical team and Sharia police members carry a woman who fainted after being publicly caned by a member of the Sharia police in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Jan. 29, 2026. / Credit: CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN/AFP/Getty
Rizal said the authorities would make no exceptions, including for their own members, and that the case harmed the police’s image.
Context
Aceh is the only province in Indonesia that enforces a local version of Sharia law under special autonomy granted in 2001. Local regulations in Aceh prescribe caning as a punishment for a range of offenses, including gambling, alcohol consumption, extra-marital sexual relations, and homosexual acts; men can also be punished for missing Friday prayers. While Indonesia’s national law does not criminalize homosexual relations, the federal government’s ability to intervene in Aceh’s sharia enforcement is limited by the province’s autonomy.
This case is believed to be among the harshest cane punishments administered since Aceh implemented Sharia-based regulations after receiving special autonomy. Earlier incidents include two men who were publicly flogged 76 times each last year after being found guilty by a sharia court for having sexual relations, reportedly after being seen hugging and kissing in a public bathroom.
All facts in this report are based on statements from local officials and reporting by AFP from the scene.
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