Aceh: Wildlife poachers to get 100 lashes under new law

Facing the music: A file photo showing a man being whipped in public by a member of the Syariah police in Banda Aceh. — AFP

Jakarta: Poachers who threaten endangered orangutans, tigers and other wildlife could receive up to 100 lashes under new rules in Indonesia’s Aceh province, which usually reserves whipping for morality crimes under Islamic law.

Despite international condemnation, public flogging is a common punishment for a range of offences in the conservative region on Sumatra island, including gambling, drinking alcohol, and having gay or pre-marital sex.