Two men suspected of having a gay sex are canned in Aceh, the only Indonesian province with strict Sharia laws
Global rights group Amnesty International has criticized the recent flogging of two Indonesian men for having a consensual same-sex relationship as a "horrifying act of discrimination."
Jordan Hirst – Human rights groups have slammed a conservative province in Indonesia for publicly flogging two men convicted of having consensual gay sex in a "horrifying act of discrimination".
Earlier in the week, the two university students in Indonesia's Aceh province for having consensual same-sex sexual relations.
Jakarta – The Banda Aceh Public Order Agency and Wilayatul Hisbah (Satpol PP WH), or "sharia police", plans to intensify monitoring during of Ramadan to prevent violations of Islamic law under a mandate from the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), according to the agency's duty chief.
Responding to the flogging of two university students in Indonesia's Aceh province for having consensual same-sex sexual relations, Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director Montse Ferrer said:
Banda Aceh – Two men were publicly flogged in Indonesia's conservative Aceh province on Thursday after they were found guilty of sexual relations by a court operating under strict Islamic law.
Taufik Kelana, Banda Aceh – Two men were publicly caned in Banda Aceh, Aceh Province on Thursday after being convicted of engaging in same-sex relations under the province's strict Islamic law. The punishment, carried out at Taman Sari in Baiturrahman District, drew public attention.
Agus Rahmat, Banda Aceh – A gay couple who were caught in a boarding house by local residents were sentenced to caning at the Sari Park in the Acehnese provincial capital of Banda Aceh on Thursday February 27. Before the sentence was carried out, they were first given a sermon by a religious teacher.
Two male university students in a conservative province in Indonesia have been sentenced to flogging after neighbours caught them having consensual gay sex.
Homosexuality is not illegal in most of Indonesia, but same-sexual activity is criminalised in two provinces of Indonesia: Aceh and South Sumatra.
Banda Aceh – A gay couple with the initials AI and DA, who were caught having sex in a raid by local residents at a boarding houses in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, have been sentenced to be flogged.
Taufik Kelana, Banda Aceh – Newly inaugurated Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf vowed on Wednesday to repeal restrictions on the purchase of subsidized vehicle fuels imposed by state-owned energy company Pertamina.
Banda Aceh – The prosecution in a case of a gay couple caught having sex at a boarding house in Syiah Kuala district, Banda Aceh city, has demanded that the pair be sentenced to 100 lashes. The sentence demand was read out by the public prosecutor (JPU) from the Banda Aceh District Attorney's Office (AGO) on Monday February 3.
Taufik Kelana, Banda Aceh – Two university students from Banda Aceh in Aceh Province were caught by residents engaging in a same-sex relationship in a rented room and are now undergoing trial at the Banda Aceh Sharia Court.
Agencies, Jakarta – At least 75 Rohingya refugees arrived by boat at a tourist beach in Aceh on Wednesday, but were stopped by authorities from disembarking, local officials said.
Agencies, Jakarta – Dozens of Rohingya refugees who arrived by boat at a beach in Aceh have been relocated to a temporary shelter after locals allowed their landing, an official said Thursday.
The latest group of 76 refugees, including four children, were moved to tents on a soccer field in East Aceh regency, Aceh on Wednesday night, hours after arriving the beach.
Agus Setyadi, Jogja – Two men in the Acehnese provincial capital of Banda Aceh were caught having sexual relations after local residents broke into their boarding house room. The gay couple had previously arranged to meet to do college a assignment.
Riri Rahayu, Jakarta – The government allotted Rp13 billion for the construction of a memorial living park in Pidie Regency, Aceh, as part of the reparation for the victims of gross human rights violations in the region, said the Deputy Minister of Public Works, Diana Kusumastuti.
Banda Aceh – More than 260 Rohingya refugees, including women and children, arrived in Aceh after floating at sea for days, an official said Monday.
The mostly Muslim ethnic Rohingya are heavily persecuted in Myanmar and thousands risk their lives each year on long and dangerous sea journeys to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.
Cut Mery, Banda Aceh – The city government of Sabang, located in the conservative province of Aceh, issued a statement on Saturday banning any form of New Year celebrations, citing adherence to Islamic teachings.
Radhiyya Indra, Banda Aceh – As Aceh commemorates 20 years since the 2004 earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands in the province, authorities are striving to ensure that people are better prepared when future disasters come knocking at the door.
Banda Aceh – A siren rang out as survivors and relatives of victims began commemorations Thursday for more than 220,000 people killed when a tsunami hit nations around the Indian Ocean 20 years ago.
Zach Hope and Karuni Rompies, Banda Aceh – Heri Syahrial thinks his family is here, somewhere under his feet and the crumbling path, amid the roots of the now-towering trees. Mum, Dad, grandmothers, niece, uncle, both brothers and a sister.
Norma Susanti R.M., The Conversation – The devastating 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami remains etched in the memories of many, especially in Aceh, where the disaster claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Among the casualties, women were disproportionately affected in a ratio of four to one.
Chontida Auikool – 20 years have passed since the Aceh tsunami, which left deep scars on Indonesia, especially for those directly affected. Aceh was also recovering from a three-decade armed conflict between the Free Aceh Movement and the national government
Zulfakriza Z. – 20 years have passed since the Aceh tsunami, which left deep scars on Indonesia, especially for those directly affected. Aceh was also recovering from a three-decade armed conflict between the Free Aceh Movement and the national government
Jakarta – The Aceh Transition Committee (KPA) raised the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) flag during a ceremony that drew hundreds of attendees to commemorate GAM's 48th anniversary in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, on Wednesday.
Banda Aceh – More than 100 Rohingya refugees including women and children have been rescued after their boat sank off the coast of Indonesia, the United Nations refugee agency said on Saturday.
The mostly Muslim ethnic Rohingya are heavily persecuted in Myanmar and thousands risk their lives each year on long and dangerous sea journeys to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.
Carolyn Cowan – Camera-trap surveys have documented a sizeable but struggling population of Sumatran tigers clinging on in unprotected forests in Indonesia's Aceh province.
Nandito Putra, Jakarta – The third debate of the Aceh Regional Election was forced to stop because supporters of the regional head candidates were involved in a brawl. These supporters were reported to push and argue with each other on the debate stage. The election debate took place at The Pade Hotel in Aceh Besar on Tuesday night, November 19, 2024.
In what claims to be the only woman-run cafe in the capital of Indonesia's most conservative province, owner Qurrata Ayuni says she and her baristas provide an alternative to rowdy, smoke-filled male haunts.
Sultan Abdurrahman, Jakarta – A total of 152 Rohingya refugees finally returned to South Aceh after being rejected in Banda Aceh. The refugees from the conflict areas in Myanmar were previously relocated from South Aceh by the local government, approximately two weeks after they landed in the regency.
Agencies, Jakarta – Six people have died as nearly 100 Rohingya landed by boat in Aceh province, a local fishing community said on Thursday, in the latest wave of arrivals to Indonesia in recent days.
Miftach Tjut Adek, chief of the community, told Reuters that the 96 arrivals, including seven children, were still at the local beach in the eastern part of Aceh.
Jakarta – The United Nations refugee agency has appealed to Indonesia's government to rescue a boat languishing off its western coast packed with more than 100 Rohingya refugees including women and children.
Muzakir Nurdin, Central Aceh – The immigration office in Central Aceh in Indonesia's western province of Aceh deported three French nationals on Saturday for allegedly participating in the political campaign of a candidate running for regent.
Jakarta – A glittering ceremony at the North Sumatra Stadium in Deli Serdang on Friday night marked the end of the 21st National Games (PON), but the festivities were too late and too little to make up for the controversies that have marred the quadrennial sporting event.
A'an Suryana and Norshahril Saat – Negative reactions in Aceh to the ritual of rain shamanism do not mask the contradiction of parts of the Islamic community tolerating 'Islamic shamanism' or mysticism and ritual over science and modernity.
Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has pledged to evaluate the 21st National Games (PON) organization in Aceh and North Sumatra following widespread complaints over poor and incomplete infrastructure.
Apriadi Gunawan, Medan – The Banda Aceh Police are investigating a grenade explosion in front of the house of Aceh gubernatorial candidate Bustami Hamzah in Syiah Kuala district, Banda Aceh city.
The city police's criminal investigation department head, Comr. Fadillah Aditya Pratama, said investigators had gathered evidence from the crime scene, including CCTV footage.
Jakarta – The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) on Wednesday announced a list of candidates the party will field in the November gubernatorial election, which included the name of the now-dissolved Free Aceh Movement (GAM) commander at the top of the ticket in Aceh.
Jakarta – A Regional Representatives Council (DPD) member form Aceh, Sudirman Haji Uma, has written to Jakarta Metro Jaya Regional Police Chief (Kapolda) Inspector General Karyoto requesting that a transgender beauty contest held recently at a hotel in Central Jakarta be investigated.
Zul Akhyar, Banda Aceh – The Ulama Consultative Assembly (MPU) in Indonesia's northern-most province of Aceh has strongly condemned the Miss Beauty Star Indonesia 2024 transgender beauty contest that was held at the Orchardz Industri Hotel Grand Ballroom in Central Jakarta on August 4.
Aceh – The Aceh Ulama Consultative Assembly (MPU) has rejected Government Regulation (PP) Number 28/2024 on Health, one of the points being that it regulates the provision of contraception for school-aged children.
Haryudi, Aceh – The National Statistics Agency (BPS) recently released surprising data about rape cases in Indonesia. Based on the report "Criminal Statistics 2023" issued by the BPS, Aceh emerged as the province with the highest number of rape cases in 2023.
Chris Jewers – Three men have been brutally caned 42 times today for consuming alcohol and breaking Sharia law on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Pictures showed an intimidating executor, or 'algojo', gripping a rattan before carrying out the public caning against four men in front of Islamic court officials.
Jakarta – An incoming councilor from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) has been nabbed for sabu-sabu (crystal methamphetamine) dealing and drug use.
The arrested politician, Sofyan, was elected in the February legislative election to sit at Aceh Tamiang Legislative Council in Aceh.
Deni Ghifari, Jakarta – Alocal company belonging to a Chinese conglomerate is to build a cement factory in South Aceh regency, despite a nationwide moratorium in place since 2020.
Jakarta – Authorities in Aceh are planning to launch raids on restaurants in the province to seize food containing marijuana, as the conservative Muslim region is set to host the country's largest sports event, the National Games (PON), in September.
Irsyan Hasyim, Jakarta – Flooding due to the Krueng Kulu and Krueng Tadu Rivers overflow in Nagan Raya Regency, Aceh, has gradually receded.
Jakarta – The human remains at Rumoh Geudong are strong evidence of human rights violations. The government has an obligation to uncover the truth and bring justice.
Meulaboh, Indonesia – At a damaged temporary shelter in western Indonesia, Rohingya men slick their hair with gel while women apply make-up and colourful hijabs to look the part for prayers at the start of Eid-al-Fitr festivities.
Johannes Nugroho – The orange truck crammed with 75 Rohingya survivors of a capsized boat was told to hurry along by Indonesian police in Beureugang, West Aceh, as dozens of angry villagers gave chase, shouting "[we] reject the presence of refugees here!"