Police lashed a woman and her lover 140 times each for having sex outside marriage and drinking alcohol in a far-flung region of Indonesia on Thursday — one of the harshest punishments carried out in 25 years.
The brutal beating — with a rattan cane — caused the woman to sob and collapse in the region of Aceh, which is governed by strict Islamic laws.
The lovers were caned on their back in a public flogging. It is among the harshest sentences imposed since Sharia law was implemented in Aceh in 2001, the Agence France-Presse reported.
A woman is lashed during a public caning for violating Sharia law in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on January 29, 2026. HOTLI SIMANJUNTAK/EPA/Shutterstock
The woman cries during the public lashing. AFP via Getty ImagesThe pair received 100 hits for pre-marital sex, and 40 for consuming alcohol which is banned.
Officials could be seen escorting the collapsed woman on a stretcher to a nearby ambulance after the brutal beating in Aceh, the only place in Indonesia where Sharia law stands.
The lovers were only two of six people gathered at the public square for the punishment for breaking the Islamic code.
Among them were a Sharia police officer and his female partner, who were accused of being in close proximity to each other in a private place.
The man is lashed in Indonesia for the alleged crimes. NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe couple received 23 strikes each as their punishment.
“As promised, we make no exceptions, especially not for our own members. This certainly tarnishes our name,” Rizal told the AFP.
The public beatings remain a popular tool in Aceh to punish those who break Sharia law, with perpetrators risking hits if they also take part in gambling, missing important prayers, or having gay sex.
Last year, reports emerged of two men receiving 76 strikes after they were caught hugging and kissing in a public bathroom.
