Couple Caned in Aceh for Obscene Acts During TikTok Live Stream

An unmarried man and woman were publicly caned in Banda Aceh on Thursday (2/7/2026) for engaging in obscene acts during a live broadcast on TikTok. The execution took place at Bustanussalatin Park, where Putra Ramadhan and Linda Hastuti each received 21 strokes of the cane. The caning was also carried out on another couple convicted of ikhtilat (intimate contact) and two individuals convicted of gambling offences. Prior to the caning, the convicts underwent medical examinations and were presented before the executioner in turn. Putra was caned by a male executioner whilst standing, while Linda was caned by a female executioner in a seated position. Both wore white clothing during the punishment. Putra’s caning proceeded smoothly, whereas Linda’s was paused several times for officers to give her water. On the final stroke, Linda collapsed weakly on the stage before female officers helped her stand and escorted her backstage. The couple had been sentenced by the Banda Aceh Sharia Court to 25 strokes each, reduced by time already served in detention, with 30 days of detention equating to one stroke. ‘They committed ikhtilat (intimate acts) inside a car while doing a TikTok live stream. We handled this case after receiving a report from the public,’ said M Rizal, Head of the Banda Aceh Civil Service Police and Wilayatul Hisbah (WH). Following the report, sharia police investigators tracked down the two perpetrators until they were apprehended. Two friends of the convicts who were in the car served as witnesses, allowing the case to proceed to court. Rizal stated that evidence in the case included screenshots of the pair committing the sharia violation. He noted this was the first case of its kind that his office had successfully taken to trial. ‘Previously, we have detained violators who made inappropriate live streams, but the process only involved guidance. This is the first time we have been able to prove such a case in court,’ he said. The other ikhtilat convicts, M Maulana and Misdarlia, were each caned 27 times, whilst gambling convicts Rahmat Hidayat and Muhammad Zakir received 29 and eight strokes respectively.