Aceh Couple Publicly Caned 21 Times for 'Immoral' Acts During TikTok Live Stream

An unmarried couple in Banda Aceh has been publicly caned 21 times each after being found guilty of intimate acts during a TikTok live stream. The pair, identified as Putra Ramadhan and Linda Hastuti, were flogged at Taman Bustanussalatin in Banda Aceh on Thursday (2/7/2026). They were punished alongside another couple convicted of ikhtilat and two individuals convicted of gambling.

According to the Head of the Banda Aceh Satpol PP-Wilayatul Hisbah, M Rizal, the couple was caught engaging in intimate acts inside a car while broadcasting live on TikTok. Authorities acted after receiving a report from a member of the public. Rizal noted that while previous offenders had been caught for inappropriate live streams, they only received guidance. This case marks the first time such an offence has been proven and processed through the courts.

During the execution, Putra was caned while standing by a male executioner, while Linda was caned in a seated position by a female executioner. Both wore white clothing. Putra’s caning proceeded smoothly, but Linda’s punishment was paused several times for her to receive water. She collapsed on the stage after the final stroke and was assisted away by female officers. Screenshots from the live stream were used as evidence in the case. The other couple, M Maulana and Misdarlia, received 27 strokes each for ikhtilat, while Rahmat Hidayat and Muhammad Zakir received 29 and 8 strokes respectively for gambling.