Morality police: how "pleasant" law enforcers decide the number of cane strokes for moral violations
Indonesia is the world's largest Islamic state, and the province of Aceh, located in the north of the country, is the most conservative. It is there that strict Sharia laws are in effect today, vigilantly monitored by female police officers. For instance, if they notice a girl chatting with a man (not her husband) in the park, she could face punishment in the form of caning.
These smiling female police officers make harsh decisions about punishing offenders.
In 2001, the province of Aceh gained autonomy status as the Jakarta government sought to quell separatist rebellions in the region. It was then that Sharia laws officially came into effect in Aceh, under which those accused of drinking, gambling, or engaging in "illicit seclusion" are subjected to penalties such as imprisonment, fines, or caning.
A female police officer holds an explanatory conversation with a couple in the park.
The "morality police" or Wilayatul Hisbah monitor adherence to societal norms, with women as its members. They patrol the streets, parks, and bars daily, vigilantly ensuring compliance with accepted moral standards.
Since gaining autonomy in the province of Aceh in 2001, laws have been consistently enacted, primarily restricting the freedom of women. They can be fined for wearing trousers or appearing in restaurants or entertainment venues after 11:00 PM without the accompaniment of a husband or relative. It is also prohibited for a man and a woman to ride on the same moped if they are not spouses.
Caning is prescribed as a punishment for a whole range of offenses, including adultery, alcohol consumption, being alone with a member of the opposite sex who is not a relative or spouse, and for violating the prohibition on Muslims eating, drinking, or selling food during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan.
The executioner (algojo), as a rule, is well-known to everyone but traditionally wears a dark robe and conceals their face, leaving a narrow slit for the eyes. The image of the executioner turns out to be quite intimidating.
For intimate relations between individuals not bound by the ties of marriage, a punishment of 25 to 100 strokes with bamboo canes is imposed. The punishment usually takes place publicly, with a crowd of onlookers gathering around.
The punishment is carried out publicly with a large crowd in attendance, and local police carefully monitor order maintenance.
After the execution of the punishment, the woman is escorted by the police. A doctor examines the woman after the sentence is carried out.
It's worth noting that Aceh is the only province in Indonesia where Sharia laws are enforced. However, corporal punishments in the form of caning are regularly practiced in neighboring secular states like Malaysia and Singapore. Corporal punishment was introduced by the British colonial government but is still enthusiastically used by local authorities. In Singapore, caning is imposed for more than 30 types of offenses, some of which are so minor that they wouldn't fall under the jurisdiction of codes in other countries. Nevertheless, in Singapore, individuals can be harshly caned publicly. In 2012 (the last year for which there are statistical data), Singapore judges sentenced caning 2,203 times, with 1,070 of them against foreign citizens. A similar situation exists in Malaysia.
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