Two men in Indonesia to be caned for intimacy in private
Found hugging and kissing in a toilet the men are being punished for breaking sharia law.
Two men - aged 20 and 21 - have been sentenced to be caned 80 times each in the Indonesian province of Aceh.
Their crime? Kissing and hugging each other in a toilet.
Witnesses saw the two men enter the restroom in the Taman Sari city park - the police were alerted and they arrested the two men.
Arrested in April of this year, the men have been held in custody until their recent court appearance.
The province of Aceh is subject to shariah law and the court found that the actions of the men had violated Islamic law.
The prosecution sought a punishment of 85 cane strokes each but the court reduced the penalty to 80 can strokes each as the men have already served four months in prison.
According to reporting by human rights bodies, the cane used to punish the men will be 0.5 inches wide, 3.9 feet long, and soaked overnight in water to prevent breaking or splinters. Caning victims are stripped naked, tied to a wooden frame, and bent over at a 90-degree angle with their buttocks exposed to receive each stroke - which occurs every 30 seconds at the caning officer’s maximum strength. The blows often break the skin and damage muscle, causing bleeding and permanent scarring.
A medical officer and the superintendent of prisons are required to be present for the caning to ensure that the victim doesn’t pass out and that the punishment is inflicted correctly. Victims have described the pain as worse than excruciating. After the caning, the victim is given antiseptic lotion, painkillers, and antibiotics to heal the wounds. Victims cannot sit or lie on their backs for about a week or more afterwards due to lingering pain.
What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Indonesia?
What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Indonesia? Let’s take a look at some of the key equality indicators.
Is homosexuality legal in Indonesia?
Pretty much. In most of Indonesia, homosexuality is not criminalised. But there are some parts of the country that operate under Sharia law, which criminalises same-sex sexual activity.
Are there anti-discrimination protections in place for LGBTQ people in Indonesia?
Not really. There are some limited protections available through the legal system but not a comprehensive framework of anti-discrimination protection.
Is there Marriage Equality in Indonesia?
No. There is no legal recognition for same-sex relationships.
What’s life like for LGBTQ people in Indonesia?
Indonesia is a socially conservative country. Homosexuality is seen as a taboo subject.
Homophobia is systemic. It appears that censorship restrictions and public decency laws are being used to target and persecute LGBTQ people.
LGBTQ people conceal their sexuality.
