ICC Note:

A young woman in Indonesia was lashed 23 times under Sharia law for allegedly standing too close her boyfriend. She was only one of 13 women lashed between 9 and 25 times for breaking Sharia law. A pregnant women was allowed to delay her lashes until after she gives birth. Civilians in the town of Aceh have been subject to strict Sharia law and have received lashes for anything from drinking alcohol or gambling.  Aceh remains one of the most conservative Muslim areas in predominantly moderate Indonesia.  As a result, Christians often face discrimination and persecution for practicing their faith.  In 2015, 10 churches were burned in Aceh.  

10/19/2016 Indonesia (Daily Mail) The woman was seen crying in agony as she was lashed in front of a baying crowd for breaking Sharia law.

She was just one of 13 women who was punished in the orthodox Indonesian province of Aceh.

Each woman was lashed between nine and 25 times, depending on the severity of their crime.

The alleged crimes they were deemed guilty of included inappropriate acts, such as khalwat, which is affectionate contact by an unmarried couple, and ikhtilat, which is intimacy or mixing – both of which are in violation of Islamic bylaw.

One of the women, just 22-years-old, had her lashes delayed as she is currently pregnant.

Aceh’s deputy mayor, Zainal Arifin, said: “The punishment will be handed down after she gives birth.”

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