5 gamblers caned in Indonesia's Aceh province

March 9, 2012 8:22 AM
5 gamblers caned in Indonesia's Aceh province


LANGSA, Indonesia — Five Acehnese men convicted of gambling have been caned in public in the devout Islamic Indonesian province of Aceh.

They were flogged six times each Friday in front of hundreds of people at a field in East Aceh's district capital of Langsa.

The predominantly Muslim nation of 240 million people has a policy of secularism but allowed highly conservative Aceh province to implement a version of Sharia law.

Chief of general crime at the prosecution office Putra Masduri said the five were among 20 people convicted of violating Sharia law in January. He did not disclose the offenses of the others not caned Friday.


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