Indonesia: Young Couple Publicly Caned After Kissing During TikTok Livestream in Aceh
An unmarried young couple was publicly caned 21 times each in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province on Thursday after a Sharia court convicted them of violating local Islamic law by kissing during a TikTok livestream. The punishment was carried out before a crowd of at least 100 onlookers at Bustanussalatin City Park in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh.
A young unmarried couple in Indonesia's Aceh province was publicly caned after being convicted under the region's Islamic Sharia law for kissing during a TikTok livestream. The punishment, carried out on Thursday in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, drew public attention and renewed scrutiny of Aceh's enforcement of religious laws and the use of corporal punishment.
Couple Received 21 Lashes Each
The couple, a 22-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, were sentenced by a Sharia court to 21 lashes each with a rattan cane. The punishment was carried out before a crowd of more than 100 people at Bustanussalatin City Park by executioners wearing robes and hoods. Indonesia's Supreme Court Urges Lawyers to Uphold Reason, Instinct, and Conscience Amid Growing Legal Complexity.
According to authorities, the pair were arrested in April after a video from a February TikTok livestream, in which they kissed inside a car in Banda Aceh, went viral and prompted complaints to local Sharia officials. Although the court initially imposed 25 lashes, the sentence was reduced to 21 to account for the four months they had already spent in detention.
Other Convicts Also Punished
The public caning session also included four other individuals convicted under Aceh's Islamic criminal code for offences including adultery and online gambling. Officials said evidence used in the case, including a mobile phone and a USB drive, would be destroyed following the court proceedings. Earthquake in Indonesia: 5.9 Magnitude Quake Jolts Nias Area Off Sumatra.
Aceh's Special Sharia Law
Aceh is Indonesia's only province that formally enforces a version of Islamic Sharia law. The province was granted special autonomy in 2006 as part of a peace agreement that ended decades of separatist conflict.
Under Aceh's Islamic criminal code, offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, adultery and intimate relations outside marriage can carry penalties including public caning. The laws apply to Muslims and, in certain circumstances, can also be applied to non-Muslims.
Human Rights Concerns
The punishment drew criticism from human rights organisations. Amnesty International described public caning as "cruel, inhuman and degrading" and urged Indonesian authorities to repeal laws permitting corporal punishment and the criminalisation of consensual relationships. However, some local residents defended the practice, saying it serves as a deterrent against conduct considered to violate religious norms in the province.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2026 08:40 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
