ICC Note: Two young women were arrested in Indonesia by Sharia police on suspicion of homosexuality after the two hugged in public. Aceh, Indonesia, where the act took place, is the only Indonesian province which has been given special status to adopt by-laws based on Sharia Law since 1999. Aceh by-laws are not limited to the Muslim population of the province, but also extend toward the 90,000 non-Muslims which are predominately Christian and Buddhist. Such a charge under their version of Sharia by-laws allows for 100 lashes and 100 consecutive months in prison. Regardless of religious affiliation or background, the ability to freely worship without fear of repudiation by religious law (Sharia Law) is a goal in which all should pursue. Indonesia is not immune to persecution of minorities upon the non-Muslim population as two Indonesian churches continue to be barred from worshiping in their own buildings.
10/05/2015 Indonesia (Christian Today) – Two women have been arrested by Sharia police in Aceh, Indonesia on suspicion of being lesbians after hugging in public.
On 28 September the Wilayatul Hisbah, or Sharia police, arrested two women identified as AS, 18, and N, 19, after they saw them hugging in Banda Aceh, the provincial capital, according to Human Rights Watch.
The Indonesian government allowed Aceh “Special Status” in 1999 and is the only Indonesian province of the 34 that can legally adopt by-laws derived from Sharia.
