Sharia’s Lash: Gay Men Caned Before Thousands in Aceh

This video originally appeared on VICE News Tonight, on HBO.

On Tuesday, two men arrested for having sex were publicly caned for breaking Sharia law in Aceh. The men were caned 83 times, receiving the highest number of lashes ever. The couple was arrested in March after neighborhood vigilantes broke into their rented room and recorded them having sex. In Aceh, homosexuality is punishable with up to 100 lashes, 100 months in jail or with a fine of up to 1 kilogram of gold or about $40,000 USD (Rp 545 million).

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VICE News reports from Aceh, currently the only province in Indonesia where homosexuality is officially criminalized.