Indonesia's rights of LGBTQ+

 

Indonesia’s Aceh Province Canes Two Men for Same-Sex Conduct

Location: Aceh Province, Indonesia — the only region in the country governed by Islamic Sharia law, thanks to a 2006 autonomy agreement following years of insurgency.

What Happened:

• Two young men, a 24-year-old and an 18-year-old university student, were publicly caned after being found guilty of engaging in a same-sex relationship involving kissing and hugging.Reuters+3The Independent+3Getty Images+3

• One received 82 lashes, the other 77, as punishment for facilitating or engaging in consensual contact.

• The verdict came after vigilantes reportedly discovered them in a private room. The judge, Sakwanah, considered both defendants “cooperative,” polite, and without criminal history, which resulted in lashes below the maximum allowed (up to 100).The Independent

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Context & Implications

Aspect	Details
Legal Framework	Under Aceh’s Sharia bylaws, public caning is imposed for “immoral” acts—ranging from same-sex relations and adultery to gambling and alcohol consumption.Getty Images+3The Independent+3Reuters+3
Human Rights Concerns	Amnesty International condemned the flogging, calling it a discriminatory and disproportionately brutal punishment that violates international human rights norms.
National Legal Tension	Indonesia’s national criminal code does not criminalize homosexuality. The Sharia system in Aceh operates independently under special status; central government lacks power to overturn it.