2 men and 2 women were caned 100 times in the autonomous Indonesian province of Aceh, which observes strict Sharia law. The religious police alleged they were prostitutes and customers, but it cannot be determined whether this is true, as this is the way conservative societies identify any woman who has sex outside of marriage. Aceh, located on the northern tip of Sumatra, has recently caned others for pre-marital sex, gay sex, and being in the proximity of a member of the opposite sex while drinking alcohol. Calls for the autonomy of religious minorities to practice Sharia law within the context of Western societies should bear the example of Aceh in mind.
Four Flogged in Indonesia for Sex Outside of Marriage
