Six convicted gamblers in Aceh receive public caning
Six convicted gamblers in Aceh receive public caning
Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh
Observed by a crowd of hundreds, six convicted gamblers were
caned on Monday in front of the Baitul Musyahadah Mosque here.
The public canings were the second such event in Banda Aceh
and the seventh in the province, all of which were carried out as
punishment for gambling.
The first public canings took place in Bireuen regency in June
this year.
"The prisoners violated article 5 Qanun (bylaw) No. 13/2003 on
maisir (gambling). Each will receive eight to 10 strokes of the
cane," prosecutor Saprianto said before the punishment was
executed by officials wearing black veils to conceal their
identities.
The two men who allegedly organized the gambling were given 10
strokes and the others were given eight.
Seven people, including a 15-year-old Mahyuddin bin Yunus,
were apprehended by Banda Aceh Police on the third day of the
fasting month of Ramadhan, while gambling in the Jl. Diponegoro
area. Evidence used to convict them included a pack of poker
cards and Rp 149,000 (US$14.9) in cash.
As a minor, Mahyuddin was not caned but, based on Law No.
3/1997 on child prosecution, he was handed over to his parents in
front of the spectators.
The sharia system was implemented in Aceh in 2003, two years
after the central government granted special autonomy to the
province in order to curb separatist demands.
Before the canings took place, Aceh regional governments had
already enforced Muslim dress codes, mandatory prayers five times
a day and the giving of alms.
Since then, the province has introduced three Qanun or bylaws
on the implementation of the Islamic law, which prohibit maisir,
khalwat (sexual relations outside of marriage) and khamar
(alcoholic drinks).
Of the three bylaws, the one on gambling has
been most frequently violated.
"The essence of the punishment is to make the violators
embarrassed. They will not repeat the same offense
and it will teach others not to gamble," said Banda Aceh Mayor
Mawardi Nurdin.
He said no violators of khalwat or khamar had been found so
far. Under the law, a khalwat offender would be stoned to death
while a khamar offender would also be caned in public.
The Acehnese have been pushing the authorities to punish
embezzlers under sharia.
According to head of the Islamic Law Office, Aliasa' Abubakar,
corruption is no different to stealing, which under sharia,
is punishable by cutting off a thief's hand.
"But a bylaw (to deal with corruption) has not yet been made,"
Aliasa' said without elaboration.
Residents, however, are demanding the bylaw
be passed, saying the prevailing laws only touch ordinary people.
"Gambling and drinking alcohol are what regular people do. How
about corrupt government (officials)?" asked Khaidir, a Banda
Aceh resident who watched the public caning.
The public canings in Aceh have caused controversy at home,
with human right activists saying the presence of an audience was
an unnecessary humiliation as, although other countries like
Singapore and Malaysia also used caning as a punishment,
it was not done in public.