Translator’s Note: This story was fed through the BBC in the UK – as the BBC cannot be trusted nowadays – I checked Indonesian sources to confirm the details. What is interesting is that the English-language BBC presents this story with a sense of “White” moral indignation – but BBC Indonesia presented the same news story in a sympathetic manner. The BBC has already been banned from China for racially-motivated and fake news stories – so I suppose the BBC is trying not to be banned from Indonesia for exactly the same grounds. This situation does highlight how Eurocentric reporting will stoke racial prejudices on the one-hand (these photographs are terrifying to Westerners) – whilst at the same time pretending to support and express a non-White culture fairly. I will keep my powder dry as regards the reasons these punishments were carried-out. I neither agree nor disagree with relative systems of moral enforcement – things are what they are. I suppose the approach adopted here, is that if relatively minor issues are come-down upon really hard (short of the death penalty) – then individuals in society will not commit any crimes of a greater nature. I think this is simplistic and not always a correct assumption. I think 140-lashes would be difficult to take for a grown Western man – at least we can appreciate the courage of the condemned. ACW (1.2.2026)

Banda Aceh – A total of six convicted of Islamic sharia violations are serving caning sentences at Bustanussalatin Park, Thursday (29/1/2026).

The implementation of the punishment was carried out based on the decision of the Banda Aceh Syar’iyah Court which has permanent legal force, in accordance with Qanun Aceh Number 6 of 2014 concerning the Law of Jinayat. The total sentence handed down to the six convicts amounted to 420 lashes.

The application took place in an open space and was witnessed by the public under the supervision of law enforcement officials and medical teams to ensure that the implementation ran in accordance with applicable regulations.

Two of the six convicts are a pair of men and women who are proven to have violated the jarimah of adultery as stipulated in Article 33 paragraph (1) and the jarimah khamar of Article 15 paragraph (1). Both were each sentenced to 140 lashes, consisting of 100 lashes for adultery and 40 lashes for khamar jamamah.

In addition, a man who violates the jarimah ikhtilath Article 25 paragraph (1) and the jarimah khamar Article 16 paragraph (2) is sentenced to 42 lashes. A female convict who violated Article 25 paragraph (1) concerning ikhtilath and Article 15 paragraph (1) concerning khamar received a sentence of 52 lashes.

The other two convicts are a pair of men and women who are proven to have violated the jarimah ikhtilath as stipulated in Article 25 paragraph (1) [hugging, holding hands, or kissing in public – or private – by unmarried and unrelated individuals not permitted to mix]. Both were each sentenced to 23 lashes. One of the convicts is known to be a former Government Employee with a Work Agreement (PPPK) in the Wilayatul Hisbah neighbourhood of Banda Aceh City.

The Head of Satpol PP and WH of Banda Aceh City, ,said that the entire series of whippings ran in an orderly and smooth manner, even though there was one medical incident.

“Alhamdulillah, the whippings went smoothly. Indeed, there was one convict who experienced a deterioration in health conditions, but was immediately handled by the medical team and could continue the process according to the procedure,” he said.

Rizal emphasized that the Banda Aceh City Government is committed to upholding Islamic Sharia fairly and consistently indiscriminately, including against the apparatus or internal parties.

“This is a lesson for all of us. Anyone who violates the qanun will be processed according to the applicable regulations. There is no tolerance, including for the internal Satpol PP and WH,” he said.

He also said that the former PPPK concerned had been imposed administrative sanctions in the form of dismissal from his employment status.

“The dismissal decree has been issued and submitted after going through the applicable mechanism and obtaining approval from the State Civil Service Agency,” he added.

The Banda Aceh City Government hopes that the implementation of this punishment can be a lesson and a reminder for the community to always comply with the provisions of Islamic Sharia and maintain order and moral values in the community.

Indonesian Language Article:

Enam Terpidana Pelanggar Syariat Islam Jalani Hukuman Cambuk – Diskominfo Banda Aceh

Enam Terpidana Pelanggar Syariat Islam Jalani Hukuman Cambuk

By RA29-January-2026Berita, Informasi, Umum

Banda Aceh – Sebanyak enam terpidana pelanggaran syariat Islam menjalani hukuman cambuk di Taman Bustanussalatin, Kamis (29/1/2026).

Pelaksanaan hukuman dilakukan berdasarkan putusan Mahkamah Syar’iyah Banda Aceh yang telah berkekuatan hukum tetap, sesuai Qanun Aceh Nomor 6 Tahun 2014 tentang Hukum Jinayat. Total hukuman yang dijatuhkan kepada keenam terpidana berjumlah 420 kali cambukan.

Eksekusi berlangsung di tempat terbuka dan disaksikan oleh masyarakat dengan pengawasan aparat penegak hukum serta tim medis guna memastikan pelaksanaan berjalan sesuai ketentuan yang berlaku.

Dua dari enam terpidana merupakan sepasang pria dan wanita yang terbukti melanggar jarimah zina sebagaimana diatur dalam Pasal 33 ayat (1) serta jarimah khamar Pasal 15 ayat (1). Keduanya masing-masing dijatuhi hukuman 140 kali cambuk, terdiri dari 100 kali cambukan untuk jarimah zina dan 40 kali cambukan untuk jarimah khamar.

Selain itu, seorang pria yang melanggar jarimah ikhtilath Pasal 25 ayat (1) dan jarimah khamar Pasal 16 ayat (2) dijatuhi hukuman 42 kali cambuk. Seorang terpidana perempuan yang melanggar Pasal 25 ayat (1) tentang ikhtilath dan Pasal 15 ayat (1) tentang khamar menerima hukuman 52 kali cambuk.

Dua terpidana lainnya merupakan sepasang pria dan wanita yang terbukti melanggar jarimah ikhtilath sebagaimana diatur dalam Pasal 25 ayat (1). Keduanya masing-masing dijatuhi hukuman 23 kali cambuk. Salah satu dari terpidana tersebut diketahui merupakan mantan Pegawai Pemerintah dengan Perjanjian Kerja (PPPK) di lingkungan Wilayatul Hisbah Kota Banda Aceh.

Kepala Satpol PP dan WH Kota Banda Aceh, Muhammad Rizal, menyampaikan bahwa seluruh rangkaian eksekusi berjalan dengan tertib dan lancar, meskipun sempat terjadi satu insiden medis.

“Alhamdulillah, pelaksanaan eksekusi berjalan lancar. Memang sempat ada satu terpidana yang mengalami penurunan kondisi kesehatan, namun langsung ditangani oleh tim medis dan dapat melanjutkan proses sesuai prosedur,” ujarnya.

Rizal menegaskan bahwa Pemerintah Kota Banda Aceh berkomitmen menegakkan Syariat Islam secara adil dan konsisten tanpa pandang bulu, termasuk terhadap aparat atau pihak internal.

“Ini menjadi pelajaran bagi kita semua. Siapapun yang melanggar qanun akan diproses sesuai ketentuan yang berlaku. Tidak ada toleransi, termasuk bagi internal Satpol PP dan WH,” tegasnya.

Ia juga menyampaikan bahwa terhadap mantan PPPK yang bersangkutan telah dijatuhkan sanksi administratif berupa pemberhentian dari status kepegawaiannya.

“Surat Keputusan pemberhentian telah diterbitkan dan diserahkan setelah melalui mekanisme yang berlaku serta mendapatkan persetujuan dari Badan Kepegawaian Negara,” tambahnya.

Pemerintah Kota Banda Aceh berharap pelaksanaan hukuman ini dapat menjadi pembelajaran dan pengingat bagi masyarakat agar senantiasa mematuhi ketentuan Syariat Islam serta menjaga ketertiban dan nilai-nilai moral di lingkungan masyarakat. (Sgt)