Lawmakers in the Indonesian province of Aceh have passed a law that would see Muslims found guilty of adultery, stoned to death.
Presenter: Katie Hamann
Speakers: Bachrom Rashid, United Development party and legislative member Bachrom Rashid; Harian Aceh, Thayeb Loh Angen is the Editor of the popular newspaper; Nur Kholis, National Commission on Human Rights member
Hamann: With the sun already set on the so-called "Veranda of Mecca" and just hours left before Aceh's parliament was to be dissolved, lawmakers signed off on the province's latest Sharia law.
The regulations include punishments for Muslims caught consuming alcohol, rape, paedophilia and homosexuality, but only adulterers will be stoned to death.
Leaders from Islamist parties, which dominated the former parliament, have offered various explanations for the law. United Development party and legislative member Bachrom Rashid said it is designed to save people from hell.
Rashid: (translated) Sharia law is already being applied in Aceh and all Achenese people are Muslim, I am a Muslim, so it is impossible for me to refuse the regulation of Allah.
Hamann: Canning has already been used in the province for several years, a punishment meted out for Muslim's guilty of gambling, drinking and unwed couples caught socialising.
Thayeb Loh Angen is the Editor of the popular newspaper Harian Aceh. He says there is widespread opposition to the new law and it was pushed through by Islamic parties whose representation will be diminished in the next parliament.
Angen: (translated) It has been the plan of certain political parties since the beginning and it was passed to save the reputation of present members of the house whose term is finishing. There are many more important bills for Aceh, such as the corruption bill that was not passed.
Hamann: Thayeb Loh Angen expressed concern that Sharia police will be pressured to put the law into practice in the near future to legitimise its passage. But Indonesia's Legal Aid Institute has already indicated it will challenge the bill in the Supreme Court.
National Commission on Human Rights member Nur Kholis expressed concern that the regulations would violate Indonesia's national laws but says Aceh also has special autonomy which allows for the creation of Sharia law.
Do you think that stoning someone would be against or a violation of national laws?
Kholis: Yes, basically yes, because in national law we don't have the punishment like stoning. But Aceh has autonomy so it is very difficult to make some strong statement we should respect what we call autonomy, on one side, but we should follow also the national law which mentions that we don't have any type of punishment like stoning.
Hamann: The central government granted Aceh special autonomy in 2005 as part of a peace agreement that ended nearly three decades of fighting between the Indonesian military and Free Aceh Movement rebels.
Former GAM fighter and Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf has faced considerable pressure from religious hardliners to realise a mandate for full sharia law in the province, one of the conditions of the autonomy deal. The law does not require his signature to take effect.
But a spokesman from his office said he was opposed to harsh punishments and the government may seek to amend the legislation.
Mr Yusef's secular Aceh party will occupy almost 50 per cent percent of the legislature when the next parliament opens in October. Party representatives have suggested a referendum to decide whether to maintain Sharia law in the province.
In Jakarta this is Katie Hamann for Connect Asia.