Indonesia's Aceh to cane gamblers in public

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia - Seven convicted gamblers will be caned in public in Indonesia's Aceh this month, the first such case since courts in the province were allowed to implement Islamic sharia law.


Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim nation but only Aceh has the right to adopt sharia law in the judicial system.

Aceh courts received that freedom in 2003 as part of an autonomy package Jakarta offered in an attempt to quell separatist passions in the staunchly Muslim province, where thousands have died in a long-running insurgency.

The seven were sentenced in April to be caned. The ruling by the sharia court in the northern town of Bireuen needed approval from Aceh's governor.

The chief of Aceh's sharia court said on Sunday he was in Bireuen to hand over that approval to local authorities.

The seven would be caned with a rattan stick on June 24 outside Bireuen's grand mosque, Alyasa Abubakar said.

Caning is a common judicial practice in neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

Aceh, located on the northern tip of Sumatra island, is dubbed the "Verandah of Mecca" because Islam first entered Indonesia from there centuries ago.

Analysts say Aceh sharia courts are unlikely to use stronger penalties such as stoning for adultery or amputation for theft.

- REUTERS