Banda Aceh – The sharia police in Aceh Besar regency, Aceh, conducted a public caning of six residents on Friday for cock-fight gambling.

"They were caught in Meunasah Krueng village in early January. They received the caning punishment after the Sharia Court found them guilty and decided to cane them in public," said Sharia Police chief Muhammad Rusli.

Police seized Rp 2,500,000 (US$190) and four roosters, which the gamblers had used for the cock-fighting, from the men who were aged between 30 and 40 years old.

They were caned on a platform erected by the government in front of hundreds of mosque-goers after Friday prayers.

According to Rusli, each of the defendants received five lashes. The court had reduced their sentences by a lash each to account for time already served.

"They should have received six lashes of the cane, but as they had served a month in detention, the judges reduced the lashes to five," said Rusli, adding that the defendants were caned for violating Edict No. 13/2002 on gambling.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/07/islands-focus-residents-caned-gambling-aceh.html