Jakarta – The Attorney General supports public floggings as punishment for cases of gambling in Aceh. This support was conveyed by the Attorney General when meeting with a number of Acehnese figures last week to discuss Qanun (by-law) Number 13/2003 on gambling which stipulates the punishment of public flogging.

When contacted by Kompas on Monday June 5 the spokesperson for the Attorney General’s office, Soehandoyo, said his offices’ support for pubic floggings in Aceh is based on a respect for the Acehnese people’s decision to choose Sharia (Islamic) law coming into force in the province.

“[The laws] which are in force in Aceh must be implemented. This also the case with the Qanun on gambling”, he said while explaining that this support was strengthened by the views of Professor Satjipto Rahardjo.

On Thursday, the Attorney General received the head of the Aceh Mahkamah Sharia (Supreme Court for religious affairs) Syofan Saleh, the head of the Ulama (Islamic religious leaders) Consultative Council Professor Muslim Ibrahim, the head of the Acehnese Court of Traditional Law Drs Badruzzaman, the head of the Islamic Sharia Department Professor Dr Ali Yasa SH and the head of the Aceh Provincial Legislative Assembly who was accompanied by a lecturer from the Satjipto Rahardjo University factuality of law and the director of human rights and legal affairs Diani Sadiawati.

They are asking the prosecutors office in Aceh to appreciate the need for and to immediately implement the punishment of public floggings. It has been said that the prosecutors are already aware that the decision to carry out public floggings is a part of special autonomy for Aceh. (ANA)

[Translated by James Balowski.]