The Use of Sharia Law Penalties in Aceh Province

印尼亞齊省執行伊斯蘭教法處罰

Jul 2, 2026, 14:49
AsiaSociety

Introduction

Authorities in Aceh, Indonesia, recently carried out public physical punishments against several people, including a couple who were found guilty of breaking local morality laws on social media.

印尼亞齊當局最近對數人執行了公開體罰，其中包括一對在社交媒體上被判定違反當地道德法的情侶。

Main Body

The legal case began after a TikTok livestream on February 27 showed a 22-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman kissing inside a car. After the video went viral, the two individuals were arrested in April. The Banda Aceh Sharia Court convicted them of 'ikhtilat,' which is the prohibition of intimacy between people who are not married. Although the original sentence was 25 lashes, the court reduced it to 21 strokes with a rattan cane because the couple had already been in prison for four months. The punishment took place in Bustanussalatin City Park in front of about one hundred people. At the same time, four other people were caned for crimes related to adultery and online gambling.

這起法律案件始於 2 月 27 日的一場 TikTok 直播，影片中顯示一名 22 歲男子與一名 25 歲女子在車內接吻。影片瘋傳後，兩人於 4 月被逮捕。班達亞齊伊斯蘭法庭判定他們犯有「ikhtilat」罪，即禁止非婚人士親密接觸。雖然原判為 25 鞭，但由於該情侶已入獄四個月，法院將其減刑為 21 鞭藤條。處刑在 Bustanussalatin 市立公園進行，約有一百人在場圍觀。同時，另有四人因涉及通姦與網路賭博而被鞭打。

This legal system is based on a 2006 agreement between Indonesia's central government and the province of Aceh, which was created to bring peace after a long conflict. This special autonomy allows the region to use a Sharia-based criminal code, which was expanded in 2015 to include non-Muslim residents. This code allows for penalties, including up to 100 lashes, for activities such as drinking alcohol, gambling, and wearing inappropriate clothes. In this specific case, the court also ordered the destruction of the mobile phone and USB drive that held the video evidence.

此法律體系基於 2006 年印尼中央政府與亞齊省簽署的協議，旨在長期衝突後恢復和平。這項特別自治權允許該地區使用伊斯蘭教法刑事法典，並於 2015 年擴展至非穆斯林居民。該法典規定，對於飲酒、賭博及穿著不當等行為，最高可處以 100 鞭。在該特定案件中，法院還下令銷毀存放影片證據的手機與 USB 隨身碟。

Conclusion

This event highlights the continued use of Sharia law in Aceh and the ongoing conflict between regional autonomy and international human rights standards.

此事件凸顯了亞齊持續使用伊斯蘭教法，以及地區自治與國際人權標準之間持續存在的衝突。

Vocabulary Learning

⚡ The 'B2 Jump': Moving from Simple Actions to Complex States

As an A2 student, you usually say: "The police arrested them." (Subject →\rightarrow Action →\rightarrow Object). To reach B2, you need to describe how things happen and why they are the way they are using Passive Voice and Complex Nouns.

🔍 The 'Hidden Actor' (Passive Voice)

Look at this sentence from the text:

"The two individuals were arrested in April."

At A2, you might say: "The police arrested the people." At B2, we use were arrested. Why? Because the action (the arrest) is more important than the person doing it.

Try this logic shift:

  • A2: "The court reduced the sentence." →\rightarrow B2: "The sentence was reduced." (Focus on the result).
  • A2: "The law allows penalties." →\rightarrow B2: "Penalties are allowed by the law." (Focus on the rule).

🏗️ Building 'Heavy' Nouns

B2 speakers don't just use simple words; they group ideas together to be more precise. Notice how the text uses these phrases:

  1. "Regional autonomy" (Not just 'local power')
  2. "International human rights standards" (A chain of four words creating one complex idea)

The B2 Strategy: Instead of using three short sentences, combine them into one strong noun phrase.

  • Instead of: "Rights that are recognized by the whole world" →\rightarrow Use: "International human rights."
  • Instead of: "A law that is based on Sharia" →\rightarrow Use: "A Sharia-based criminal code."

🛠️ Quick Upgrade Table

A2 Simple StyleB2 Professional StyleContext from Text
They broke the law.They were found guilty of...Legal outcome
The video became popular.The video went viral.Modern communication
The court said no to...The prohibition of...Formal restriction

Vocabulary Learning

convicted (v.)
To be officially declared guilty of a crime in a court of law.
Example:The defendant was convicted of fraud and sentenced to two years in prison.
prohibition (n.)
The act of officially forbidding something by law or rule.
Example:The prohibition of smoking in public buildings has improved air quality.
autonomy (n.)
The right or condition of self-government; independence in decision-making.
Example:The regional government was granted more autonomy to manage its own education system.
expanded (v.)
To become larger in size, range, or scope.
Example:The company expanded its operations into three new countries last year.
highlights (v.)
To draw special attention to something or make it more prominent.
Example:The report highlights the need for urgent investment in renewable energy.
Practice B2 words in a crossword→