Two men in Aceh, Indonesia, were publicly flogged 76 times after they were caught and convicted of having gay sex under sharia law. The province is known to be the only place in the country to enforce such a law.
The two were among ten people who were punished in a park in Banda Aceh. Authorities used rattan canes as people watched. They were initially sentenced to 80 lashes each but had their sentences reduced by four because they had served four months in prison.
The men were arrested in April after they were seen in a public toilet in the same park. According to the chief of the sharia police, a resident reported suspicious behavior by the two before they were arrested.
In addition to them, three women and five men were also beaten for various charges such as premarital sex, incest, and online gambling. In Aceh, caning is a common punishment for charges such as drinking alcohol and adultery.
The implementation of sharia law began in 2001 when the region was granted special autonomy. Many locals still support the caning as a punishment for lawbreakers.
