Sharia law: Gay men sentenced to 85 lashes in Aceh, Indonesia
- 7 years ago
BANDA ACEH, INDONESIA — On March 28, anti-gay vigilantes raided a room being shared by two young men in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province, accusing them of homosexual acts. The men, both in their 20s, were soon arrested and on May 10 convicted and sentenced the pair to 85 lashes each.
Media reports say prosecutors sought 80 lashes, but the a panel of judges in the provincial capital Banda Aceh apparently thought that was insufficient.
Evidence given in the trial included testimony from a witness who admitted to spying on the pair through a hole in a wall.
This testimony and the vigilante video was enough for the judges to hand down a harsher sentence than the prosecutors called for. On hearing the sentence, one of the defendants to began to weep openly in court.
The sentence will be carried out before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins on May 23.
This sentence will be the first ever caning punishment handed down to a person convicted of homosexual acts in this deeply conservative corner of Indonesia.
Speaking to the BBC, gay rights activist Dede Oetomo called the conviction and sentence a setback for the country and said private, consensual acts between adults should not be criminalised.
Media reports say prosecutors sought 80 lashes, but the a panel of judges in the provincial capital Banda Aceh apparently thought that was insufficient.
Evidence given in the trial included testimony from a witness who admitted to spying on the pair through a hole in a wall.
This testimony and the vigilante video was enough for the judges to hand down a harsher sentence than the prosecutors called for. On hearing the sentence, one of the defendants to began to weep openly in court.
The sentence will be carried out before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins on May 23.
This sentence will be the first ever caning punishment handed down to a person convicted of homosexual acts in this deeply conservative corner of Indonesia.
Speaking to the BBC, gay rights activist Dede Oetomo called the conviction and sentence a setback for the country and said private, consensual acts between adults should not be criminalised.