Indonesian woman is CANED in front of cheering onlookers for having sex outside of marriage in the country's Sharia law governed province
- The harsh penalty was carried out in a public square in Banda Aceh in Indonesia
- Aceh is the only region in majority Muslim Indonesia that imposes Sharia law
- Lesbian, gay and bisexual relationships as well as sex outside of marriage are considered violations
An Indonesian woman was caned in public as a punishment for having sex outside marriage.
The harsh penalty was carried out in a public square as onlookers took photos in Banda Aceh in Indonesia's Aceh province on Thursday.
The woman – who was not identified – is seen kneeling under a canopy dressed with her hair covered with a white hijab as a person holds a cane that appears to be made out of bamboo against her back.
A Muslim woman faces public caning as punishment for having a sexual relationship outside of marriage in Banda Aceh, Indonesia
It was not clear how many lashes the woman received.
Aceh - the only region in the world's most populous Muslim majority country that imposes Sharia law - has drawn fire in the past for putting moral restrictions on women.
It considers lesbian, gay, bisexual relationships and sex outside of marriage as Sharia law violations.
It also attracted global condemnation for publicly whipping people found guilty of a range of offences including homosexuality, gambling and drinking alcohol.
The woman was punished while sat under a canopy in a public square in Aceh's provincial capital Banda Aceh
Aceh is the only province in Indonesia that has implemented the Sharia law and considers lesbian, gay, bisexual relationships and sex outside of marriage as Sharia law violations
Earlier this month, it was revealed that a district in Aceh province banned men and women from dining together unless they are married or related, with officials saying it would help women be 'more well behaved'.
Under the latest regulation, women in Bireuen district on Sumatra island will not be able to share a table with men at restaurants and coffee shops unless they are accompanied by their husband or a close male relative.
Co-workers on their lunch break would also be forbidden from sharing a meal.
'The objective is to protect women's dignity so they will feel more comfortable, more at ease, more well behaved and will not do anything that violates sharia,' local head of the local sharia agency Jufliwan, who like many Indonesians has only one name, said.
Earlier this month, a district in Aceh province banned men and women from dining together unless they are married or related
Another part of the directive - signed by the district head on August 5 - said women who were alone or not with family should not be served at restaurants and cafés after 9pm.
Authorities say it will be up to restaurateurs to enforce the regulation, although offenders will not be punished.
Three years ago, provincial capital Banda Aceh banned unaccompanied women from entertainment venues like cafes and sports halls after 11pm.
In 2013, Lhokseumawe city in Sumatra's north ordered women to sit 'side-saddle' on motorbikes with their legs dangling off to one side.
The mayor at the time said straddling male drivers on motorbikes was 'improper'.
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