Indonesian Couple Faces Caning for Tiktok Kiss in Aceh
WHO:
The Guardian - A 22-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were publicly caned.
The Guardian - Amnesty International Indonesia, represented by executive director Usman Hamid, commented on the incident.
WHAT:
AP - The couple was publicly caned on July 2, 2026, receiving 21 lashes each after being convicted by a Sharia court.
AP - The couple was detained in March, not April, as previously stated.
AP - The couple's actions were reported to local authorities by residents disturbed by their TikTok livestream content.
The Guardian - The couple was convicted by a Sharia court for kissing during a TikTok livestream.
The Guardian - The court ordered the couple to be whipped with a rattan cane 21 times each.
The Guardian - The couple was initially sentenced to 25 lashes each, which was reduced to 21 due to their four months in prison.
The Guardian - Four other individuals were also publicly caned for online gambling and adultery.
WHERE:
The Guardian - The incident took place in Aceh province, Indonesia.
The Guardian - The caning was carried out in Bustanussalatin City Park in Banda Aceh.
WHEN:
The Guardian - The couple was arrested in April after a livestream from 27 February went viral.
The Guardian - The public caning occurred on a Thursday.
WHY:
AP - The Sharia police described the couple's livestream as an "immoral act" that sparked criticism from netizens and local residents.
The Guardian - The couple was convicted for violating Islamic law by kissing without being married during a TikTok livestream.
The Guardian - The law in Aceh allows for caning as punishment for morality offences, including kissing outside of marriage.
HOW:
AP - A resident who attended the caning, Aini Nadhirah, stated, "In my opinion, this caning is entirely justified because it serves as a warning to other Aceh residents to be more careful when using social media."
The Guardian - The caning was conducted by a group of people wearing robes and hoods.
The Guardian - The court seized a mobile phone and a USB flash drive containing the TikTok live video as evidence to be destroyed.
(UPDATED July 3, 2026 01:33 UTC)
A couple was publicly caned, receiving 21 lashes each after being convicted by a Sharia court for their TikTok livestream content, which local residents found disturbing. They had been detained in March, contrary to earlier reports that indicated April, and their actions were deemed an "immoral act" by the Sharia police. A resident who witnessed the caning expressed that it was justified, stating it serves as a warning to others in Aceh to be more cautious with their social media use.
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(UPDATED July 2, 2026 13:41 UTC)
In Aceh province, Indonesia, a 22-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were publicly caned after being convicted by a Sharia court for kissing during a TikTok livestream. The court initially sentenced them to 25 lashes each, but this was reduced to 21 due to their four months in prison, and the caning took place in Bustanussalatin City Park in Banda Aceh. Amnesty International Indonesia, represented by executive director Usman Hamid, commented on the incident, which also saw four other individuals publicly caned for offenses related to online gambling and adultery.