| Home > South-East Asia >> Aceh | |
Eight gamblers publicly caned in Banda Aceh
Jakarta Globe - September 19, 2014
A crowd of at least 1,000 people, including women and children, watched as the gamblers were publicly flogged on a stage built in front of the Pahlawan mosque in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh. The province uses a Shariah-based legal code for offenses such as adultery and gambling.
Some among the audience were seen recording the punishment on their cellphone. "Harder! Don't show them any mercy! Hit them harder!" some shouted.
Some of the men being caned resisted and scuffled with the Shariah Police (Wilayatul Hisbah) officers. The men also refused to completely dress in white for the public canning, as a sign of protest.
One of the men who received the lashes said the punishment was unfair, questioning why only ordinary people were being subjected to it. "Why not the public officials who were caught committing adultery? Is it because we don't have money?" the man asked.
Prior to the execution, public prosecutor Nurhamla said nine people would received five lashes each after the Friday prayer, but based on doctors' recommendation one was pardoned for health reasons. The person would have to undergo the punishment after being deemed healthy enough.
Each man had been sentenced to eight lashes, but the punishment was reduced to five lashes because they had already been detained for three months.
The execution was witnessed by Aceh Mayor Illiza Sa'aduddin Djamal and several other public officials. "Today's execution is a manifestation of the Banda Aceh government's commitment to implement Shariah law, this is done to impose God's law," Illiza said.
Friday's public canning was the first of its kind in Banda Aceh in seven years.
See also:
 |