Banda Aceh, Indonesia — Sharia police caned a couple 140 times each in Indonesia's Aceh province on Thursday for having sex outside marriage and drinking alcohol, likely one of the severest such punishments since the deeply conservative region adopted Islamic law. Sexual relations between an unmarried couple are strictly outlawed in Aceh, the only place in Indonesia to impose a version of sharia. A woman accused of having sex outside marriage is publicly caned by a member of the Sharia police in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Jan. 29, 2026. In total, the pair received 140 lashes: 100 for sex outside marriage and 40 for consuming alcohol, the head of Banda Aceh's Sharia police, Muhammad Rizal, told AFP. Caning retains strong support in Aceh to punish a range of offenses, including gambling, drinking alcohol, having gay sex and having sexual relations outside marriage.