Indonesian Homosexual Students Sentenced to Caning

banda atjeh, indonesia - Two students caught in hotel room face public caning in Indonesia for engaging in homosexual activity.

Indonesian Students Sentenced to Caning

Two students in Indonesia were caught engaging in homosexual activity in a hotel room and sentenced to public caning. The incident took place in Banda Atjeh, the provincial capital where Sharia law is enforced. The country, with over 250 million people, has a relatively moderate Islamic population, but in Atjeh, a law prohibiting sex outside marriage, including homosexual relations, has been in effect for years. The punishment for such acts can include up to 100 lashes.

The public caning, which occurred in a park in Banda Atjeh, saw one man receive 82 lashes for allegedly initiating the relationship, while the other was given 77 lashes. The event was witnessed by a crowd of onlookers. In addition, two other men received 34 and 8 lashes respectively for participating in online gambling.

The homosexual couple was arrested last November after being found together in a rented hotel room. Human rights organizations have condemned the punishment and discrimination against LGBTQ individuals in Indonesia. Andreas Harsono from Human Rights Watch described the situation in Atjeh as a bottomless pit of intimidation, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQ individuals. Montse Ferrer from Amnesty International emphasized that no one should be punished based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation.