An Indonesian court in the conservative province of Aceh sentenced two men to 80 lashes each today for participating in what it deemed to be sexual acts between people of the same gender.
Homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, but the Islamic province has been granted permission to follow Sharia law since 2001. In 2015 the law was expanded to cover non-Muslim citizens, who make up about 1 per cent of the population.
In a closed court in the capital Banda Aceh the judges heard that the two men had been apprehended by religious police officers after entering a public bathroom at the same time. The police broke into the bathroom and reportedly discovered the men aged 20 and 21 kissing and hugging each other.
It is the fifth time since 2015 that people have been given the corporal punishment for the offence of homosexual behaviour.
Prosecutors had asked the court to hand down a sentence of 85 lashes, but the three judges said a more “lenient punishment” of 80 lashes was suitable citing the two young men’s good grades as students, displayed polite behaviour in court, and had cooperated with authorities and had no previous convictions.
The two men have been in custody for four months, which will also see their punishment reduced to 76 lashes, a discount of one lash per month served. The maximum penalty is 100 lashes.
In February this year two men, aged 24 and 18, were given 85 and 80 lashes respectively after vigilante’s broke into their accommodation and reported seeing them naked and hugging. The older man was given a harsher sentence because the judges believed he had encouraged the younger man to participate in sexual behaviour.
The sentences are carried out in public with spectators watching on.
