Suspected Prostitutes Caned In Public During Mass Flogging In Indonesia (Photos)

Women accused of being prostitutes and a man have been publicly caned in Indonesia’s Aceh province – despite moves earlier this year for the punishments to be carried out in prison.

These pictures show the kneeling women and a man, who stood for his caning, grimacing in pain after being beaten for violations of the conservative state’s strict Sharia code.

After being led out in front of a crowd at a stadium in the city of Lhokseumawe, the second largest city on Aceh, the two women and the man are hit several times by a masked man wielding a cane.

It is unclear what the man was accused of but pictures show the lacerations on his back from the impact of the cane.

Earlier this year a memorandum of understanding signed by Aceh Governor, Irwandi Yusuf and Yuspahruddin, head of the provincial Law and Human Rights office, was meant to end outdoor canings.

It stipulated that caning were only take place inside prisons or other places of detention.